Active Child

As Active Child, Pat Grossi assembles atmospheric compositions that are equal parts organic instrumentation and synthesized sound. Grossi’s harp blends seamlessly with a bevy of electronic layers, creating a primed canvas for his pitch-perfect falsetto. And this church-choir-trained voice acts as an instrument all its own, carrying a gender fluidity that recalls Yaz’s Alison Moyet or the tepid delivery of Calvin Johnson. Building the perfect vessel for his pop-sensible lyrics, the singer and multi-instrumentalist expertly uses his voice in a way that reaches back to a time when SVW and Xcape were radio stars. Active Child could easily be linked to the Washed Out and Toro Y Moi set, but Grossi’s just-released Vagrant Records full-length debut, You Are All I See, shows a far more intricate and textural artist who will probably only get better with age.