2 LP Artifacts began humbly as a means of compiling a few early Beirut EPs for a proper physical release. However, as Zach Condon explains in album’s excellent liner notes, reconnecting with old recordings through fresh ears turned a simple re-issue project into something much more expansive. “When the decision came to re-release this collection, I found myself digging through hard drives looking for something extra to add to the compilation. What started as a few extra unreleased tracks from my formative recording years quickly grew into an entire extra records-worth of music from my past, and a larger project of remixing and remastering everything I found for good measure.” Artifacts is a phylogenetic tree. A double-LP’s worth music that traces the evolution of Beirut from a 14-year old Condon’s first attempts at bringing the music he heard in his mind to life, to the fully formed Beirut we know today. Selling Points: Retrospective of rarities and b-sides spanning the entirety of Beriut’s catalogue. 17 of the Artifact’s 26 songs have not been previously released. Tracklisting: SIDE A 01 – Elephant Gun 02 – My Familys Role In The World Revolution 03 – Scenic World 04 – The Long Island Sound 05 – Carousels 06 – Transatantique 07 – O Leãozinho SIDE B 08 – Autumn Tall Tales 09 – Fyodor Dormant 10 – Poisoning Claude 11 – Bercy 12 – Your Sails 13 – Irrlichter SIDE C 14 – Sicily 15 – Now Im Gone 16 – Napoleon On The Bellerophon 17 – Interior of a Dutch House 18 – Fountains and Tramways 19 – Hot Air Balloon SIDE D 20 – Fisher Island Sound 21 – So Slowly 22 – Die Treue zum Ursprung 23 – The Crossing 24 – Zagora 25 – Le Phare Du Cap Bon 26 – Babylon
