Active Child

Active Child is Los Angeleno Pat Grossi, who spent the first part of his life traversing the globe as part of the Philadelphia Boys Choirs, while simultaneously jamming the latest and greatest in gangster rap at home (his father worked for Priority Records, which released early N.W.A. jams).

In 2008, a young man staying rent-free in Denver, Grossi began to pull from his enviably rounded childhood for the musical project he dubbed Active Child. His tenor still as flawless as a choirboy, Grossi sails it across New Order-caught-in-the-Labrea Tarpits drum pad hits and synth textures. The pure bliss we end up with is cathedral-to-the-club dub-step, emotional new wave and a sensual Cocteau Twins slow grind. Grossi even shows off some harp chops. Spread across three releases in the past year—a 7" with Transparent, a six-song cassette with Mirror Universe and the Curtis Lane EP on Filter/ Merok—Active Child has erected a lovely, sustainable ice lair for itself among the fun-in-the-sun slew of bedroom electronic artists of recent times, winning the hearts of nearly everyone who finds this music.

Joined now by Grossi's fellow University of Colorado alum Sir Stratton Easter on "smooth purple bass" and vocals, Active Child is just beginning to hone the live experience. A run of shows at SXSW served as both a confidence builder and live gauntlet for Active Child. Following a UK/ EU tour in May with White Rabbits, Grossi said he intended to continue to ride the wave of creativity he's currently perched upon. Godspeed, child. —Eric Deines