Active Child:You Are All I See

[Vagrant Records]
8.0/10 Dropps

Each decade has something unique to offer in the progression and expansion of music theory. The early-90s classical hip hop, where sampling became a reality and reintroduced an entire generation to the jazz and soul records their parents raised them on. As did the rise of contemporary R&B, which saw the likes of R Kelly, Aaliyah, and Boyz II Men take the traditional ideals of rhythm and blues and blend it with synth-lines made popular in the 1980s. Unfortunate, the years following the death of TLC’s Left Eye in 2002 saw a decline in the personalization of a majority of R&B. The sounds coming from emerging artists began to feel over-produced and, contrary to the actual ideals behind “rhythm and blues,” lost its soulful roots.

Thankfully the 2000s are over and thanks to rising acts like The Weeknd, Rimar and How To Dress Well there is a true R&B rejuvenation in effect. A name I didn’t mention, but is fully deserving, is the solo project of Pat Grossi, Active Child. Now living in Los Angeles, Pat grew up in New Jersey where he spent time as a choir boy and an apparent love of soul-striking R&B.

His first step towards his ever-reaching soundscapes came early last year and gained a frenzy of well-deserved attention. Entitled Sun Rooms, released on cassette courtesy of Mirror Universe Tapes, and sporting one of the best songs from that year, “She Was A Vision,” Pat Grossi made a name for himself with heavy synthesizers, a mixture of Genesis circa Phil Collins and classic 808-styled drumming, and his powerful, yet romantic vocals.

Now, more than a year and a half later, Active Child is back with his first full-length album You Are All I See. He explains the intimate focus of the album as “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.” The album plays as a work of art, something to come out of an orchestra. The title track “You Are All I See” fills the room with water-like harp strings, the album’s single “Hanging On” exhibits his extraordinary vocal capabilities naturally furnishing every corner. The only featured artist on the album is the aforementioned ethereal R&B Brooklyner How To Dress Well (Tom Krell). The collaboration titled “Playing House” displays the unique quirks of both acts, the heavy backing aura and gospel voice of Active Child and How To Dress Well’s withheld synth grooves R Kelly-esque vocals.

You Are All I See has sent the bar for anyone trying to keep up with the, thankfully, reemerging  R&B movement. A bar that Pat Grossi himself will have difficulty surpass. Until then, we wait for the next contender and I give them my best wishes. Also, Active Child is making his only Florida appearance with fellow shoegazer M83 on November 2^nd at the Social.

Stand-outs: “Ancient Eye” “Playing House” and “Way Too Fast”

-Travis Sturgill Trahan