Active Child: You Are All I See [Album Review]

In this, the year of Bon Iver, Active Child's Pat Grossi will undoubtedly and unfairly be likened to Justin Vernon, as Vernon's ubiquity has made him the de facto reference point when discussing those who use the falsetto to express themselves. However, these are lazy comparisons that fail to engage You Are All I See, on a substantive level. Those willing to look past the obvious name dropping will discover that Active Child has released one the most confident and self assured debuts of 2011. With an astounding attention to detail and a sound that is all his own, this harp playing ex-choirboy more than establishes himself as one of the most ambitious and exciting new artists to emerge this year.

While last year's Curtis Lane EP introduced the sweeping harp and synth infused arrangements at the core of Grossi's sound, everything about the production has been expanded and improved upon to create an immaculate LP. The album sounds expertly produced and labored over, with every flourish and note sounding intentionally placed with little to no effort.

The title track establishes this immediately, as a swirl of harps is later joined by electronic drum patterns to create a dream like state, something that permeates on many of the albums tracks. The instrumental track "Ivy" is a perfect encapsulation of Grossi's talents as a musician, as it combines all the elements of his sound to a great effect, complete with pronounced percussion, a wave of synths and of Grossi's undeniable harp playing. Based on sheer musicianship alone, You Are All I See ranks among the most engaging listens from the never ending wave of laptop composers.

However, the most distinctive feature about Acitve Child is Grossi's voice, which is nothing short of a melodic force. He possesses a rich and fully formed voice that can go from a sultry tenor to heavenly falsetto without skipping a beat. His range is best exemplified on album standout "Hanging On," where over a pulsating beat and gorgeous arrangement Grossi makes his laments on love sound nothing short of earnest and vital.

This kind of contradiction is a sort of motif for the album, with the beauty of the music and Grossi's voice playing counterpart to lyrics that are anything but bright. Grossi sings with such finesse and conviction that he is able to make even the most heartbreaking of sentiments sound beautiful. Whether it is through his collaboration with How To Dress Well's Tom Krell on "Playing House" or the staggering "Way Too Fast," there are moments of sheer vocal beauty to be found throughout the album.

You Are All I See is a commanding statement from an artist who knows what he wants to be. For an album as lush and grandiose as this one, never once does it feel like anything is being forced or done simply for the sake of doing it. Grossi may have to deal with surface level comparisons for some time, but crafting an album with this level of quality should help Active Child transcend the zeitgeist and cement this as one of the most intriguing debuts this year.

Active Child: [website]