I always appreciate it when management and bands reach out to me directly, especially when the music is strong enough that it leaves little doubt it will be reviewed, as was the case with Alpine Skies. Before I continue, I should avoid "over egging the pudding" with references to Coldplay, or more specifically the vocal similarity to Chris Martin. It is certainly there, but this album is very much more than that.

The album opens with "Broken", and for me it’s the musical introduction that immediately stands out, a wonderful keyboard soundscape that demands attention. The vocals arrive with a darker tone, contrasting against the music at first, but as the track develops, the two elements begin to fuse more cleanly.

"When I Hear Your Name" initially brought back memories of the Blue Man Group, with its struck string textures. It then develops into a more conventional rock song, though by conventional I don’t mean run-of-the-mill, more a refined and polished sound that belies this being an initial release. A particularly nice guitar solo also deserves a mention.

It’s hard not to draw a brief comparison between the guitar on "By Your Side" and Pink Floyd’s "Run Like Hell", though the similarity is fleeting, as the track quickly establishes its own identity. For whatever reason though, it didn’t quite grip me in the same way as the earlier tracks, although I did really enjoy the shift in the final quarter.

"Walls" feels more vocally driven than musically driven, with the instrumentation serving more as accompaniment than an equal contributor. That’s not to say there aren’t some nice musical flourishes, but overall it feels very much like a singer’s song.

There’s a distinctly 90s feel to "A Long Way", which is strongly vocally driven and at times brings to mind bands like Talk Talk. It’s another well-rounded song, but it never quite managed to light the fire for me, though again some great guitar work.

And as Monty Python would say, "And now for something completely different", that something different being "Breathe", which opens with a simple piano riff, then being joined by drums and tambourine, giving this a very different feel to the earlier tracks. The vocals I think could have served better if they were a little softer, as were the vocal backing. This would have made the track much more cohesive, but still, overall a great track.

Opening with a very U2 anthemic sound is "Blockks", with guitar work that strongly recalls "Where The Streets Have No Name". As the song unfolds, additional layers are introduced, giving it a wonderful stadium-friendly feel. My main criticism is that it’s too short. I could easily imagine this being expanded into a long, immersive, meditative remix.

Another song with the makings of a banger is "The Passing of Time". It opens strongly with its uptempo beat and vocal layering, but the initial energy briefly fades, as if the fire loses a little oxygen, before building again as the track unfolds. Once more, I find myself picturing it working really well live, as the momentum steadily returns.

Upon hearing "Half the World" begin, something about it just felt right. It may be a strange way to put it, but some songs have an immediate ability to grab you, and this is very much one of them. Just past the halfway mark, the track shifts in momentum, slowing subtly, almost feeling like a different piece before it gently builds again from the final note of that section. It shouldn’t quite work, but somehow it does, and does so very well.

I was hoping the final track, "The Rhythm Alive", would be something more sonically chilled and laidback. A sprawling six-minute, self-indulgent, relaxed and reflective piece would, I think, have rounded the album off perfectly. What we do get is a more upbeat closer, broadly in keeping with the rest of the album, but it felt to me like a missed opportunity. Not to be taken as a criticism, more me imprinting what I want, over what the band wanted.

I have to admit, when the opening track started, I was hoping to discover something akin to a new Pink Floyd, or a band capable of painting rich musical soundscapes with unfolding lyrical stories. There are elements of that throughout the album, but it never quite lived up to the expectation I had built in my own head, which is probably more on me than the record. What we do get, however, is an impressive debut with several standout tracks that really show what the band is capable of. Certainly a band to watch closely.