So early in the year, and we're already blessed with what will surely be looked on as one of 2003's most extraordinary, groundbreaking albums. Coming from the fringes of electronic music, as it does, its 21st century psychedlia is going to surprise a few people. If there's one thing Dan Snaith has learnt since his debut album Start Breaking My Heart it's 'I don't give a shit about the electronic music scene!'



A bold statement for one whose first album shot him to the top of the electronic pops, but tell us more, young Snaith (he's still only 24). 'There's all this lazy, complacent shitty electronic music where everyone uses the same keyboard sounds and shit drum sounds. Fuck that! Electronic music can sound like anything you want it to so why does it all sound the same? People aren't very ambitious. Why be an imitation? Why not try be on some next level shit ? some Brian Wilson / Timbaland type shit?'



Consider these thoughts for a moment as Snaith's incredibly self-confident second album Up In Flames comes a-shimmering out of your stereo. Isn't it... an electronic music album? Very perceptive. In fact, it was made with exactly the same dinky computer equipment as the last album, except he now plays glockenspiel as well as guitar and keyboards.



But wait! It sounds completely, utterly unlike the first one, doesn't it? It sounds like a magnificent kaleidoscopic rough'n'tumble of starlight melodies, irresistibly catchy fatbeats and all manner of uplifting tooting, parping, plinking, riffing, tinkling, soaring and harping, the joyous mass gliding happily together within Snaith's masterful sense of space. Plus... handclaps, alarm clocks, crickets chirping and dogs barking. There's a lot in there, but it's never cluttered, it's deft and wise and funny and gobsmackingly brilliant all at once.



The other point is that Dan writes actual songs, not just a bunch of soun.......
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