Beirut are back with their new song, “Caspian Tiger,” the project of Zach Condon’s first release since last year’s album Hadsel. In addition, the group has announced their first proper tour in six years, featuring a handful of dates in Europe and the UK.
“Caspian Tiger” was originally composed by Condon for the soundtrack to the Swedish contemporary circus company Kompani Giraff’s new project, A Study of Losses. Revisiting Condon’s early choir music and Renaissance influences, the track begins with a solo piano before a harp and brass instruments come into the mix.
The accompanying music video was directed by Jan Pivoňka and features choreography from A Study of Losses. Watch it below.
“When I was first approached about writing a soundtrack for a circus, a certain amount of Elephant Gun-era trauma initially came rushing up,” Condon shared in a press statement. “I had been pigeon-holed for years as a whimsical circus waif, full of sepia-toned images of penny farthings and perhaps lion tamers with handlebar moustaches. It couldn’t have been further from how I pictured the music I was making. I had been quietly avoiding the subject for years.”
He continued, “Ironic then, that I found Kompani Giraff’s project so enticing, and writing something for acrobats to perform so enjoyable. ‘Caspian Tiger’ was one of the first songs I wrote for the new album, with images in mind of the poor animals caged or fighting in Roman colosseums. They had been taken from the Asian steppes around the Caspian Sea and from as far east as Tashkent, an area I’ve been fascinated by for years. The sonic influence came in large part from choir music that I was obsessing over at the time.”
Beirut will head out on a five-date run in May 2025, featuring performances at Netherlands’ TivoliVredenburg, Cirque Royal in Brussels, and London’s O2 Academy Brixton. Tickets go on sale Thursday, November 21st at 10:00 a.m. GMT via Ticketmaster.
Beirut 2025 Tour Dates:
05/01 – Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg – Grote Zaal
05/02 – Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg – Grote Zaal
05/05 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royal
05/06 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royal
05/08 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
