Many people know Beirut, the band led by wunderkind Zach Condon. Zach first gained a lot of indie attention when he released his first album Gulag Orkester at the tender age of 18. It blew many people’s minds (including my own) to hear such a mature voice and original music coming from such a young man. I can remember immediately comparing him to Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst.
This comparison has lost any weight as they have both gone to great lengths to define themselves, their music, and make very clear that age has little to do with anything when it comes to music.
However, they do have one thing in common. They are not just singers or guitar players but also enjoy electronic music. You may remember Bright Eyes’ “Digital Ash In A Digital Urn”; well a couple months ago Beirut quietly released a double album that features Zach’s electronic side. It is a little known fact that Zach used to produce down-tempo electronic tracks in his bedroom (under the name Realpeople) even before Beirut existed, but when Beirut took off, that side of him was put to the side.
It is definitely a little jarring to hear Mr. Condon’s voice without a ukulele backing him up but I love hearing all personalities of artists I admire and this effort is no different.
Listen for yourself and if you like it make sure to buy the album. This album didn’t get nearly the hype it deserved.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
COMMENTS