US-based electronic artist Active Child has been making subtly beautiful music for quite some time now. Pat Grossi, as Active Child, has a very distinct voice, but he has cultivated a distinct sound. His voice floats in falsetto and his music is atmospheric or even at times ambient. He is known for wailing over the orchestral harp he plays, creating an unmatched musical experience.
His first album “You Are All I See,”was a solid introduction and helped many indie artists like Bon Iver and Grimes position themselves as unique artists by proving that artists can create an individual sound for themselves.
From his first album, I’d recommend his guttural and powerful song “Johnny Belinda.” It begins with throaty humming that lays a dark and ominous background over which Grossi’s haunting voice effortlessly glides. It sounds like a unique mix between a movie score and an alternative rock song. The partnering video features stunning images of breathtaking landscapes that help encapsulate the song.
He later released an EP entitled “Rapor.” Separate from his first album, which really solidified his sound and played a lot with the harp, “Rapor” showed his ability to sing over many different soundscapes. For example, “Subtle” featuring Mikky Ekko is an aggressive, electronic song that builds and gets much louder and chaotic than much of his other music. Then there is his emotional ballad, “Silhouette” which pulls in Ellie Goulding for her scratchy voice. I would call it Active Child’s best song because of his expert harmony building and soulful creation. Here is a live performance without Ellie Goulding that shows off Grossi’s amazing falsetto and immaculate artistry:
Active Child’s second album, “Mercy,” was released on June 16. To be completely honest, it’s nothing new; a lot of the music on “Mercy” feels quite similar to music we’ve already heard from Active Child. However, that’s not to say that there aren’t any good songs. The first single, “1999,” is a faintly funky ballad that sets the theme of the album, which is clearly love or romance failing. This theme is continued in the song “These Arms,” which is the beginning of the story created in “Mercy.” It’s sort of the beginning of the end where the romance begins. One of the album’s more triumphant moments is actually the interlude, “Midnight Swim,” which sounds like something straight out of a horror movie.
By the end of the album, he gives us “Lazarus,” which channels a more aggressive side that is rarely heard in his music. “It’s all because of you in this life. “Everything I do, I do it for you,” Grossi sings over a low stressed bass and high falsetto harmonies giving this sense of anger and aggression. To close out the album, “Too Late” is a rather simplistic song with a piano and some strings, but it’s a bittersweet conclusion to the album.
Active Child has refined a sound that I’ve never heard from other artists. His music may not be something you want to listen to all the time, but it creates an atmosphere that is perfect when you need to put some music on for the background. He will also be at The Bluebird on June 25. If you feel so inclined to see him live, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
