A Study of Losses
| A Study of Losses | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 18, 2025 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Orchestral pop[2] | |||
| Length | 57:10 | |||
| Label | Pompeii | |||
| Beirut chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Study of Losses | ||||
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A Study of Losses is the seventh studio album by American folk band Beirut, released on April 18, 2025, by Pompeii Records.[3][4] Featuring eighteen songs including two singles, "Caspian Tiger" and "Guericke's Unicorn", the album received positive critical reception from multiple publications, including Uncut Magazine.
Background
Recorded in Berlin, Germany and Stokmarknes, Norway, for Swedish circus Kompani Giraff,[3] A Study of Losses is based on a book titled Verzeichnis Einiger Verluste by German writer Judith Schalansky.[5]
Stylistically noted as encompassing "wide-ranging chamber folk", the album consists of eighteen songs including seven instrumentals ranging between two and four minutes each, excluding "Guericke's Unicorn", which surpasses four minutes.[6] It succeeds the band's 2023 album, Hadsel.[7][8]
Beirut released the album's first single, "Caspian Tiger", on November 14, 2024.[3][9] The second single, "Guericke's Unicorn", was released on February 13, 2025, alongside a music video.[2]
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 80/100[13] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [6] |
| Hot Press | [10] |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10[11] |
| Uncut | [12] |
The Line of Best Fit remarked, "A Study of Losses finds Condon writing about disappearance, preservation and the impermanence of everything known to us – extinct animal species, lost architectural and literary treasures, the process of aging and other abstract concepts."[8] Hot Press rated the album eight out of ten and stated, "The synth-based 'Ghost Train' and 'Guericke's Unicorn', while impressive, sit a little uneasily alongside the album's more acoustic core. But overall, A Study of Losses is wilfully and wonderfully odd."[10]
AllMusic assigned it a rating of four stars and described it as "appropriately melancholy in nature" and "inspired by the tale of a man obsessed with archiving humankind's lost thoughts and creations".[6] Pitchfork gave it a rating of 7.4 out of ten, and referred to it as "an example of the peculiar magic that can happen under seemingly absurd circumstances."[11] The Times commented, "Zach Condon has created a tender, sombre work which glides by with ease."[14]
Uncut noted it as "a further example of his fluency in the ancient, internationally shared languages of wonder and imagining," rating the album eight out of ten,[12] while Mojo referred to it as "what might be his most beautiful record to date, particularly the instrumental numbers".[15]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Zach Condon.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Disappearances and Losses" | 2:24 |
| 2. | "Forest Encyclopedia" | 3:49 |
| 3. | "Oceanus Procellarum" | 2:24 |
| 4. | "Villa Sacchetti" | 3:26 |
| 5. | "Mare Crisium" | 2:46 |
| 6. | "Garbo's Face" | 3:10 |
| 7. | "Mare Imbrium" | 2:11 |
| 8. | "Tuanaki Atoll" | 3:22 |
| 9. | "Mare Serenitatis" | 2:21 |
| 10. | "Guericke's Unicorn" | 4:24 |
| 11. | "Mare Humorum" | 2:38 |
| 12. | "Sappho's Poems" | 2:30 |
| 13. | "Ghost Train" | 3:41 |
| 14. | "Caspian Tiger" | 3:58 |
| 15. | "Mani's 7 Books" | 3:10 |
| 16. | "Moon Voyager" | 3:47 |
| 17. | "Mare Nectaris" | 3:42 |
| 18. | "Mare Tranquillitatis" | 3:27 |
| Total length: | 57:10 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[1]
Beirut
- Zach Condon – vocals, recording, all instruments (except where noted)
- Nick Petree – drums (tracks 10, 15)
Additional contributors
- Francesco Donadello – mixing, mastering
- John Valesio – strings recording
- Clarice Jensen – string arrangements, cello (tracks 3, 5, 7, 9–11, 14, 15)
- Griffin Rodriguez – upright bass (tracks 3, 14)
- Laura Lutzke – violin (tracks 3, 5, 7, 9–11, 14, 15)
- Ben Russell – violin (tracks 3, 5, 7, 9–11, 14, 15)
- Kyle Miller – viola (tracks 3, 5, 7, 9–11, 14, 15)
- Linda Gaißer – artwork, photography, design
Charts
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] | 81 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[17] | 79 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] | 97 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[19] | 43 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[20] | 18 |
References
- ^ a b A Study of Losses (Media notes). Beirut. Pompeii Records. April 18, 2025.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Green, Walden (February 13, 2025). "Beirut Announce New Album, Share Video for New Song "Guericke's Unicorn"". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b c Redfern, Mark (February 13, 2025). "Beirut Announces New Album Recorded for a Swedish Circus, Shares New Song "Guericke's Unicorn"". Under the Radar. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Chelosky, Danielle (February 13, 2025). "Beirut Announces New Album Commissioned By Swedish Circus". Stereogum. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Carr, Mary (February 13, 2025). "Beirut releases "Geuricke's Unicorn" into the world ahead of new album". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b c Donelson, Marcy. "A Study of Losses – Beirut". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Martin, Andrea Ortiz-Vivanco (February 13, 2025). "Beirut announces new album A Study Of Losses and releases lead single 'Guericke's Unicorn'". Hot Press. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Kelly, Tyler (February 13, 2025). "Beirut detail forthcoming album, A Study of Losses, commissioned by Swedish circus Kompani Giraff". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Monroe, Jazz (November 14, 2024). "Beirut Announce European Tour and Share Video for New Song 'Caspian Tiger'". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Walshe, John (April 18, 2025). "Album Review: Beirut, A Study Of Losses". Hot Press. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Cardew, Ben (April 18, 2025). "Beirut: A Study of Losses". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b "Uncut April 2025". Uncut. Interviewed by O'Connell, Sharon. London, United Kingdom: Kelsey Media (published February 28, 2025). April 2025. p. 36. ISSN 1368-0722.
- ^ "A Study of Losses by Beirut Reviews and Tracks – Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ Hodgkinson, Will (April 16, 2025). "Beirut: A Study of Losses review — highfalutin concept with good results". The Times. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "MOJO May 2025". Mojo. No. 378. London, United Kingdom: Bauer Media Group. May 2025. p. 88.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Beirut – A Study of Losses" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Beirut – A Study of Losses" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Beirut – A Study of Losses". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2025.