I'm right keen on this Apse album on ATP, it's called Spirit and it's a reissue of one they put out a couple of years back on Acuarela which sold sweet eff all it seems. Where's the justice? Things'd be different if Judge Judy was running this industry, I tell you. For the most part it's rhythmical, epic post-rock that straddles a satisfying middle ground between Grails and an early A Silver Mt. Zion. A few things make them stand out though - prominent vocals (mostly of the ethereal, ghostly variety) and the occasional Tortoise-esque dancey rhythm for two. This is really great stuff, it makes me feel like I'm running around in a haunted church or something. Post-rock can be such a tired and samey genre these days but this lot definitely bring something new to the table, even if it's hard to say that they're doing anything massively original the combination of elements works a treat.
Love this record? Hate it? Tell us.
What their label says...
Apse was formed nine years ago in Connecticut. The band has shed a lot of skin over time, from its label as instrumental "post rock" early on, to the otherworldly rhythmic spells it casts now. Numerous self-produced and self-released EPs made up the first phase of Apse’s life, which culminated in a self-titled debut EP in 2005 (Acuarela Discos), melding the band’s penchant for shimmering melody and crescendos with lo-fi ramblings, ambient analyses, electronic sound experiments and danceable passages. "Spirit," is the group’s first full-length. Also self-produced, it marks an evolution and creative shift. Tribal rhythms took the fore, setting a strange groove for the ghostly vocals, guitars, keyboards and found sounds that paint a murky picture indicative of the foggy natural settings depicted in the album art. Some have called it "post-post rock." Many, the band included, don’t know what to call it. It is perhaps that indescribable quality that has led to a growing fan base in Europe, where live performances seem to have taken on a great intensity. Reviews - 4/5 in Uncut: "Lo-fi, tense and occasionally terrifying...an enviable sense of dramatic narrative...spectacular and frequently unsettling climaxes spiked with Sonic Youth guitars, Robert Toher’s ghostly disembodied vocals and a relentless rhythmic drive." - "It’s good to see one of the more interesting bands of their ilk get some recognition...Epic in scope and black of heart, ’Spirit’ is an ominous treat." - Clash Currently touring Europe, Played ATP Vs. Pitchfork in May Supported Yeasayer in London in May Booked to play ATP NY in September Tracklist: 1. (Intro) 2. From The North 3. Legions 4. Shade of the Moor 5. (Transition) 6. The Crowned 7. Wind Through the Walls 8. Blackwood Gates 9. Earth Covers Us 10. Ark 11. Spirit
