Beirut’s Zach Condon is putting the finishing touches on a new album — his first since 2007’s The Flying Club Cup. But with the group kicking off a tour this month, he’s debuting new material live. Condon unveiled two new tunes at a gig in Norfolk, VA this week: one untitled track and an up-tempo number titled “Sante Fe.” Check out fan footage here (via Pitchfork).
Condon has said the new Beirut album is a “sunny” collection, with an emphasis on keys and classical brass arrangements. He’s right. “Santa Fe,” a tribute to his New Mexico hometown, is a bright, piano-powered pop number with hair-raising, dual-trumpet interludes. Same goes for the untitled song — a strummy, mid-tempo number that weirdly sounds like a McCartney-led Beatles ballad.
WATCH: Beirut, “Santa Fe”
WATCH: Beirut, Untitled