Start Breaking My Heart

Dan Snaith's 2001 debut, Start Breaking My Heart, was released under the name Manitoba (well before Snaith was forced to change the name of his project to Caribou when Handsome Dick Manitoba of the Dictators sued for the rights). No matter what name he goes by, however, Snaith's music is always dazzling, ranking among the most innovative and engaging post rock on the scene. Start Breaking My Heart sports Snaith's usual mixture of digital electronica clatterscapes, shoegaze-inspired guitar noise, moody atmospheres, and psychedelic grandeur. To enter Snaith's world is to enter a labyrinth of jagged thorns and velvet cushions; usually paired within the same song. Snaith improved his formula progressively across Up In Flames and The Milk Of Human Kindness (this album's successors), but for the curious ear interested in fresh, sonic hybrids, Start Breaking My Heart has plenty to offer.