Beirut - March Of The Zapotec/Realpeople: Holland
He may have got half way there, but Monsieur Condon's foray into electronica appears ill-advised
Up until now, Zachary Condon's never been one to do things by halves. Abounding with voluptuous mariachi sways and waltzing European melodies, previous Beirut releases were unrepentant stomps that left no doubt as to their creator's stoic intentions. March Of The Zapotec/Realpeople:Holland is an entirely different proposition. Part one of this dichotomous affair finds Condon mounting the uncultivated, if familiar, climes of Mexicana folk; where triumphant, parping brass exhales over rippling percussion and mandolin while he warbles staunchly against these gales of instrumentation. By part two he’s crept into the unknown: the synthesised world of glitchy electronica. Disappointingly this new domain fails to fan his creative sensibilities, with No Dice and My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille resembling tiresome Hot Chip cast-offs - less dancefloor filler, more lughole chiller. He may have got halfway there, but Monsieur Condon's forays into electronica appear ill-advised. [Billy Hamilton]