In a music industry obsessed with constant releases and staying visible, taking the time to think about what you actually want to create can feel almost radical. After some time away from releasing music, Irish electronic duo The Cope return with Low. The track explores mental health, emotional restraint and the things we struggle to say out loud. Its meaning, however, has changed considerably since it was first written.
David Anthony Curley wrote the song in 2022, reflecting on the difficulty of acknowledging uncomfortable emotions and the instinct to pretend everything is fine. Following Conor Biddle’s death in April 2025, Low has also become a tribute to the Irish lighting designer, a close friend and longtime creative collaborator of the band.
Biddle was a respected figure in the music industry, having worked with artists including Kneecap, Manic Street Preachers and Soda Blonde. His work extended across major live performances, festivals and music videos, where his approach to lighting helped shape the visual identity of numerous projects. For The Cope, his contribution went far beyond the technical side of production.
The accompanying video was created in 2024, with Biddle serving as lighting operator. Directed, produced and edited by Curley, it features performances by Nelson Earl and Louis Thuriot, with choreography adapted from Zoë Ashe-Browne’s I’m Trying to Help. What was originally another collaboration between friends has since become a particularly meaningful record of their time working together.
The Cope have always placed great importance on visual storytelling, as demonstrated by their previous video for Oíche / Back on My Bullshit, featuring dancer James Vu Anh Pham. With Low, that relationship between sound, movement and imagery feels especially personal.
The song’s original questions about vulnerability and the difficulty of expressing ourselves now exist alongside the memory of someone who helped bring the work to life. It’s a meaningful return for The Cope, and a chance to recognise the creative legacy Biddle leaves behind.
