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Album Details

• Artist: Manitoba
• Album: Up In Flames
• Label: Domino
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-04-24

Dan Snaith may have felt a little overwhelmed with the attention that his debut album, Start Breaking My Heart received. He is now back with Manitoba's follow-up, Up In Flames. While Manitoba's first album was an easy comparison to Warp bands like Boards of Canada, Up In Flames takes a bit of a twist to the pop side of things. Fear not for the beats are still as fucked up as ever, they just seem a little more non-electronic than his debut. It's almost as if Dan is heading down the same road as the Beta Band or something similar. There are a lot more lyrics on this album and that is indeed Dan singing. "Hendrix With KO" sounds like a summer of love song done by the Olivia Tremor Control. Those of you who were quick to fall in love with Start Breaking My Heart may be disappointed in Manitoba but then again, there is so much more potential where Snaith is going here. Songs are all over the place remaining very psychedelic in nature and the only thing they are meant to do is fill your head up with experimental sounds to tap your feet to. In Dan's words, he wanted to make an album of "wicked pop songs with textures, layers and weird instruments." On this he has succeeded. "Bijoux" starts out with a crazy Aphex Twin style sample but Dan kicks in with a soaring, airy vocal track. Up In Flames is a smart move for Manitoba. As I said, there is so much more room for experimentation here.

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