Artifacts started humbly as a way to compile some of Beirut’s older EPs and give them a proper physical release. However, as Zach Condon explains in the album’s excellent written commentary, revisiting old recordings through fresh ears turned what was meant to be a simple reissue project into something much grander. When the decision to re-release this collection came about, he found himself digging through hard drives for something more to add to the compilation. What started as just a few unreleased tracks from his early days quickly blossomed into an entire collection of additional music leading to a larger project of remixing and remastering. Artifacts is a phylogenetic tree, a double album that traces the evolution of Beirut, from 14-year-old Zach Condon’s earliest attempts to bring the music he heard in his mind to life, to the fully formed Beirut we know today.