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Active Child
You Are All I See
For Pat Grossi of Active Child, the last two years have been nothing short of enriching. Musically, Pat has worked within and appropriated a number of styles into his sound, from his early days singing with that heavenly voice as a choir boy to his more recent forays into laptop-assisted indie-pop made in his bedroom, best exemplified on 2010’s acclaimed Curtis Lane EP. His sound is so wide-ranging that he has found himself touring with many notable acts of differing genres, including dubstep producer James Blake, dreamy synth-pop of School of Seven Bells, and the indie-rock bands White Lies and White Rabbits.
Nothing quite prepares you for the leap that Pat has taken with his debut album, You Are All I See, out on August 23rd via Vagrant records. Recently, he has expanded his sonic ambitions and turned the studio into an instrument for a record that sounds cosmically huge and yet intimate all the same.
Of the album title, Pat himself says, “You Are All I See is an attempt to build a bridge between the listener and I, in that, I wrote these songs for you as much as I did for me. And right now when you are listening to my voice, by yourself, it really is just you and I.” In attempting to craft songs that meant something not only to himself but that could be meaningful to others as well, he found himself working with some universally human and fragile themes. “The songs focus primarily on the joy and heartbreak of relationships, love lost and rediscovered, battles with monogamy, battles with identity,” Pat says. “It came out much darker than I had intended, but sometimes you only have so much control.”
The grand, cinematic scope of Pat’s artistic vision is apparent on You Are All I See, which owes as much to his wide array of influences as it does to Pat’s own knack for employing these influences in fresh, forward-thinking ways. With triumphant synths and shimmering, contrapuntal harp lines, songs like the title track and “Hanging On” are reminiscent of Radiohead’s “Motion Picture Soundtrack,” but improve upon that template with layered vocals not far removed from Bon Iver or even James Blake, who Active Child recently opened for on tour. “High Priestess” and “See Thru Eyes” are stunning forays into electronic music territory, littered with samples, drum machines, and keyboards that propel the songs forward while simultaneously seeming weightless and suspended. It is in this tension that You Are All I See lives, breathes, and thrives so magnificently. The album is indebted to the sounds of the 1980s, from New Order’s drums-and-synths to danceable hip-hop beats, and it’s all topped off with soaring r&b melodies. The album’s first single, “Playing House,” features guest vocals from Tom Krell, the crooner of lo-fi r&b project How To Dress Well. Pitchfork Media recently premiered the track, noting “Active Child’s sound now seems positively ahead of its time.”
Reflecting on the album’s finished product, Pat says “I think more than anything, I see this debut release as a bridge towards something bigger and truer. Something I can look back on and think, ‘damn, you really did it’.” When you finally hear You Are All I See you’ll think the very same thing.
Active Child Announces Release Of Debut Album, You Are All I See, On August 23 via Vagrant Records
Listen To “Playing House (ft. How To Dress Well)” Now
Active Child is pleased to announce the release of his debut album You Are All I See on August 23 via Vagrant Records. The album was produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and features 10 new tracks. The album comes as a follow-up to last year’s critically-acclaimed Curtis Lane EP. See below for full track-listing.
One of those tracks, “Playing House,” is a collaboration with lo-fi r&b singer How To Dress Well and was recently premiered on Pitchfork. Listen to the song over at Active Child’s website, www.activechildmusic.com.
The Fader praised the song highly, noting “The cascading piano line that introduces this duet is too perfect, spiraling like an Alice in Wonderland techno-trip into fantasy R&B, like spelunking the deep internet without a safety USB cord. Pairing bedroom falsetto connoisseurs Active Child and How to Dress Well, “Playing House” rivals heights of collaborative Auto-warble last seen in Kanye’s weird work with Bon Iver. The boys always threaten to take homage over-the-top, but “Playing House” is undeniable magic.”
Active Child is the musical project from choirboy-turned-indie pop musician Pat Grossi. His debut collection of songs featured the skilled use of various 80s-tinged synths to create ethereal, soaring soundscapes, punctuated by crisp electronic drum samples and handclaps. All of this lays the groundwork for Grossi’s exquisite vocals, which, with their unearthly sound and evocative lyrics, take on an enchanting, hymnal quality that would not be out of place amongst the richly colored sunlight of a church’s stained-glass interior.
You Are All I See Track Listing
1. You Are All I See
2. Hanging On
3. Playing House (ft. How To Dress Well)
4. See Thru Eyes
5. High Priestess
6. Call Me Tonight
7. Way Too Fast
8. Ancient Eye
9. Shield & Sword
10. Johnny Belinda
Active Child To Release Deluxe Edition of You Are All I See November 1st
New Track “Diamond Heart” Premiered on Stereogum
Active Child, the musical project of choirboy-turned-indie-pop musician Pat Grossi, will be releasing a deluxe edition of You Are All I See on November 1st. The release will feature 4 new tracks, and will be available exclusively through the iTunes music store. For full tracklisting, see below. One of the new tracks, “Diamond Heart,” will be premiering on Stereogum today, and you can listen to the track at the link below:
http://stereogum.com/856712/active-child-diamond-heart-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/
Active Child will be hitting the road with electronic artist M83 for a series of dates beginning on Oct 28 in Washington, D.C. Having just recently wrapped up a successful headlining tour, Active Child will join M83 on a series of dates that will pass through many major venues including Chicago’s Lincoln Hall, the Music Box in Los Angeles, Webster Hall in New York City, and ending on Nov 23 at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. For a complete list of Active Child tour dates, please see below.
You Are All I See, Active Child’s debut album, was released on August 23 through Vagrant Records. You Are All I See has earned glowing praise from critics. All Music Guide gave the album 4.5 stars, noting “2011 is a year for strong albums in general, and You Are All I See deserves to be ranked among the best.” The Boston Phoenix said it “…has dozens of moments that are nothing short of breathtaking.” Pitchfork Media noted “Active Child’s sound now seems positively ahead of its time.” Following one of Active Child’s sets in his hometown of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times said it “heralded one of the most original and ambitious sounds in Los Angeles this year,” and LA Weekly said “It was unlike anything else being played around Los Angeles and makes Active Child one of the most interesting bands to watch this year.”
You Are All I See Deluxe Edition Tracklisting
1. You Are All I See
2. Hanging On
3. Playing House (feat. How To Dress Well)
4. See Thru Eyes
5. High Priestess
6. Ivy
7. Way Too Fast
8. Ancient Eye
9. Shield & Sword
10. Johnny Belinda
———-Deluxe Tracks————-
11. Diamond Heart
12. Body Heat
13. Playing House (Chad Valley remix)
14. Hanging On (Live at WFUV)
Active Child Tour Dates
Oct 28 – Washington DC @ Black Cat (Early Show)*
Oct 28 – Washington DC @ Black Cat (Late Show)*
Oct 29 – Raleigh, NC @ King’s Barcade & Tavern*
Oct 30 – Asheville, NC @ Moogfest
Oct 31 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade*
Nov 01 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Engine Room*
Nov 02 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham*
Nov 04 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live*
Nov 05 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
Nov 07 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom*
Nov 09 – Hollywood, CA @ The Music Box*
Nov 10 – San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine*
Nov 11 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom*
Nov 13 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos (Early Show)*
Nov 13 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos (Late Show)
Nov 16 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue*
Nov 17 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall (Early Show)*
Nov 17 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall (Late Show)*
Nov 20 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues*
Nov 22 – New York City, NY @ Webster Hall*
Nov 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg*
*Supporting M83
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You Are All I See - Album Art
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Ricky Chapman
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Ricky Chapman
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Ricky Chapman
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Ricky Chapman