BEIRUT Vinyl & CDs

Review: Hadsel, Zach Condon AKA Beirut's first album in four years, is named in honour of the place in which much of it was recorded, a remote Norwegian island that the neo-folk artist stayed in back in 2019. The tranquillity of his surroundings, as well as access to limited instruments (a lo-fi drum machine, a church organ, a basic synthesiser and his trusty acoustic guitar, is reflected in the beauty and slow-burn nature of the music on show, which naturally pushes Condon's distinctive, emotionally charged vocals to the fore and tends towards the atmospheric and musically opaque. The results are genuinely beguiling, with our picks of a very strong bunch including 'The Tern', where Condon's voice sails above sustained organ chords, a tribal-tinged rhythm track, and life-affirming vocal harmonies, and the brass-enhanced warmth of 'So Many Plans'.

Review: B-sides and rarities spanning Beirut's entire recording career are compiled on this elegant-looking and musically exceptional double outing. Artifacts was initially conceived as a vehicle for pushing out some early work in a formal release, but quickly grew to what you see before you know - 26 songs, 17 of which have never seen been available before now. When you consider what all that means a purchase becomes essential. Zach Cordon began trying to realise his sonic dreams at the tender age of 14, under the Beirut moniker, and has slowly developed from solo project to full blown band. What's here helps tell that tale, and the impact is profound - a spectacular journey from indie to world to folk to electronica and baroque pop by the heads who pioneered that beguiling combination.