I'm a sucker for "Intros". I don't know why, but whenever I see the tracklisting for an album and the first track has some variation on the "Intro" theme I get a bit excited. I think that probably says more about me than you need to know, but still, I'm at least being honest. Spirit , the debut album from the U.S. based band Apse features such an Intro. A quietly brooding, short piece of music that perfectly blends into 'From the North', the sinister and unfurling second track which sets the tone for this ambitious album. With the post-rock genre as a whole becoming a bit tired and repetitive, Apse bring something a touch more ambitious to the party. Frequently featuring vocals, the lyrics feel as though they've been dredged up from the very bottom of the ocean. The whispered and twisted noises feel as though they've tapped into some dark and ancient part of the human psyche. 'Legions' begins with this floating, spiritual, brooding noise before splitting into something more akin to Akron/Family. The chanting vocals breaking out of the shadows, wailing about love whilst the drums and guitars fracture the darkness, piercing the gloom.Apse have been compared to Pink Floyd, and there's certainly a hint of Dark Side of the Moon to proceedings. But this is a touch more galactic than that, reaching further from our humble Earth to a point light years away. The sparkling guitars and tinkling drums unfurl like the night sky on abeautifully clear and crisp night. 'Earth Cover Us' continues this feeling, it's arching guitars and trembling drums impossibly building and building through the six minutes, teasing you with the endless possibilities of where it could go.This is an ambitious and thought provoking album. Every time I listen to it another piece of their musical jigsaw reveals itself. Like the galactic and spiritual worlds it takes its cues from, the music sprawls endlessly, allowing the listening to forget all that's around them and immerse themselves in something completely different. 80% Links Apse [myspace ] [blog ]