An ambient voyage of disappearances and losses.

Grand and determined, Beirut releases their latest effort, A Study of Losses. Frontman Zach Condon pushes a concept album about melancholy and the earth. Primarily focusing on themes that convey a tone of loss, empathy, and grief. Coupled with Condon’s baritone vocals and baroque pop production, it makes for an album that is both sentimental and soothing. The album’s opening track, “Disappearances and Losses,” begins with a slow build of chords that often repeat themselves throughout a production of harmonious beats, pulling listeners in when they hear that first note. It is attention-grabbing and prepares listeners for a musical journey that exudes ambiance, ebb, and flow. The following track, “Forest encyclopedia,” guides listeners into an infectious bongo beat production and Condon’s brass vocal delivery. The composition and wandering use of dripping melancholy make for a vast journey waiting to be discovered.

Notable highlights include the bittersweet “Villa Sachetti”; listeners will be enthralled and mesmerized by its warm production and Condon’s harmonious vocals. “Garbo’s Face” questions the theme of loss through aging; the arrangements in its production include intricate trumpets and accordions. Leading up to a beautiful melody encapsulated in time and memory. The lyrics, “My eyes were dry as bones, / you said to me / you’re on your own,” evoke a sense of melancholy and loss of home or familiarity. Condon conveys this track as one’s faded glory within a lingering folk track.

By contrast, Beirut’s upbeat single, “Tunaki Atoll,” features a surprisingly swinging beat against Condon’s choir vocals within its lush production and lyrics. A Study of Losses includes seven instrumental tracks that add to its cohesiveness and storytelling. Notably, each of them is named after a lunar sea. “Mare Serenitatis” is an instrumental track that features strumming guitars, slowly building a sense of moodiness that fluctuates before transitioning to the lightly technological single “Guericke’s Unicorn”. Featuring a tinkering-infused beat production and a corresponding stylistic music video, this creates an immersive experience for listeners. The production builds on baroque pop influences, featuring Condon’s bubbly, harmonious vocals throughout the track. Condon’s vocal delivery is both emotionally driven and entices listeners to the theme of loss and grief. The song is playful in its tone and production.

“Mare Tranquillitatis” closes the album on a high note. Initially starting with a low-powered production of muddled beats, Condon’s tender vocals bring A Study of Losses to its full fruition in the end. The repeated line, “you can’t be above all this” illustrates towards its audience of the long musical journey Beirut has taken them on. One that is filled with mystery, a sense of wonder, and moods. A Study of Losses frames itself as a body of work that will stand the test of time and space. Beirut has crafted an album surrounded by a pathway of losses, disappearances, and discovery. The album captivates its listeners by reaching new heights in its production, combining the genres of Indie Rock and World Music into one cohesive sound. Offering an immersive experience to its audience, the use of the theme of loss and memories culminated by Condon’s melancholy vocals backed with baroque-influenced beats and guitars, makes for a conceptually intricate landscape for new and old fans of Beirut. Sonically, the 18 songs off this album create moments that are quaint, warm, and heartbreaking.