Beirut

Perfectly constructed music; Seamless in its entirety.

Listen to Beirut’s two latest singles from their upcoming LP The Rip Tide and you will understand what I mean by the two opening statements. Zach Condon has a simplistic approach to songwriting, which revolves around him writing all his songs first on just the ukulele or piano and then adds the orchestral layers around it. This not only gives it an authentic honest sound, it also focuses his vocals at the forefront of each song; and with a voice like his you wouldn’t want it any other way.

The two singles below give listeners an insight into the approach of the latest album. ‘East Harlem’ is a dashing ukulele driven pop number, that features vibrant accordion melodies which detail Zach’s inner Manhattan struggle. ‘And uptown downtown a thousand miles between us.’ It’s a feel-good sampling, packed full of sincerity.

‘Goshen’, however builds slowly, focused around graceful piano chords and Condon’s intimate vocals. It radiates angst and tears unshed, and you find yourself taking his side amidst his struggles with ‘the girl I used to know.’

It’s amazing what influences artists absorb on their musical journey through life. Take Beirut’s founder Zach Condon for instance. Zach played trumpet in a jazz band as a teenager while attending high school in New Mexico. He later dropped out and traveled to Europe at only 17. It was there that he added to his classical background with the discovery of world music and in particular Balkan folk. Using this inspiration he adapted a nomadic sound to his music that has gathered followers to his cause.

Set to support The National on tour, the band have also recently supported Arcade Fire at their London Hyde Park show. The upcoming album features Sharon Van Etten and her unique voice. Enjoy the tracks below and support the band at their iTunes page.

http://www.myspace.com/beruit