Caribou

You may have heard of Dan Snaith recently in the context of the trademark lawsuit that forced him to change his artist name from Manitoba. Sued by ageing punk rocker Handsome Dick Manitoba, despite Dick never having released an album under the name Manitoba, and finding himself limited by the high-priced realities of trademark law, Snaith opted to take the high road and change his nom de rock to Caribou. No news yet on whether the remote Canadian province of Manitoba (whence Snaith took his moniker) is planning on changing its name...

Snaith's musical career began in 2000 with the single "Anna and Nina" appearing on a compilation on the London, UK based Leaf Label. The debut album Start Breaking My Heart (The Leaf Label) followed in 2001. It's organic electronic feel drew comparisons to Boards of Canada but it's unique melodic and production sense drew it praise and international attention in its own right.

Having moved to London, UK late in 2001 to pursue a mathematics PhD at Imperial College, University of London, Snaith recorded the follow up album Up In Flames which saw release from The Leaf Label in Europe and Asia and Domino Recording Co. in North America. Up In Flames' jubilant mix of caucophous psych rock and wall of sound production took Snaith's music to new heights of exposure and critical praise.

At this point Caribou (then Manitoba) took to the stage as a live band. Snaith (drums, keyboards, guitars, vocals) teamed up with old friends Ryan Smith (guitar, keyboards, percussion) and Peter Mitton (drums, guitar, keyboards, glockenspiel) to present the music live. The distinctive double drumkit, guitar setup and constant rotation of instruments and bear masks won hearts the world over as they toured Europe, North America, Japan and Australia throughout 2003 and 2004. The music was accompanied onstage by the hyper-colourful, imaginative animations of Dublin based animators Delicious 9, whose video work won acclaim of its own.

In the spring of 2005, having completed his PhD, Snaith released perhaps his most developed and articulate album to date with The Milk of Human Kindness. Drawing it's inspiration from kraut rock and progressive rock from France in the mid-1970s, it was acknowledged by Snaith as also owing a debt to the dynamism of the live show. Thus it was no surprise that this year saw the further development of the live show and Caribou's busiest touring schedule to date. The band played 135 shows throughout Europe, North America, Japan, China, Taiwan and Australia.

In early 2006 Snaith has returned to the studio to record a new record.