Review Summary: Heavenly layered vocals from Grossi, synth-harp fusion, and ethereal beats provide the template for the emotionally-underscored album. A lush aural experience for any fan of meshing dream pop, dark wave, and 80's electro.
At its core, You Are All I See is a strong contender for one of my top 10 albums, providing the listener with an ethereal R&B/electronic/witch-house/dream-pop experience.
At first listen around 2 years ago, Pat Grossi's vocals swept me off my feet and into the dreamscape that is You Are All I See. If you've ever wondered what it'd be like to live in an 80's fantasy film while questioning all your life choices; it would be scored by Active Child.
Opening track and album namesake gently dips you in the melodic waters of blending electronic piano and swelling harp. Grossi's vocals, often compared to that of a choir boy, may be a turn off for some. However, the purity and cleanliness of soaring tenor vocals hits my ears in just the right way. "Hanging On" introduces more of Active Child's R&B influence, along with "Playing House" (if you've never seen the video, be sure to check it out ft. How to Dress Well).
The overall ethereal mood of the album sucks you in and spits you out, drenched in a cathartic and tremulous fervor. The build of synthesizers in "Ivy" provide a respite from Grossi's vocals. The beats following in "Way Too Fast" tip toe the listener back down the spiritual hallway, dripping electonic beats, and transparent lyrics of "And you know/Oh you're so damn cold/soon you'll be all by yourself. I trust in you/ Way too fast/ Didn't think you'd do me like that."
The production quality of the album is high, the atmosphere is otherworldly, and the textured musical landscapes do not fall short of being memorable.
If you're not a fan of swelling synthesizers, minor keys and blatant sentimentality, then You Are All I See probably won't be your favorite album of the year. However, I implore you to give it a go, and spin Curtis Lane EP (2010) if You Are All I See doesn't touch your heart-strings as it does mine.
