For Pat Grossi of Active Child, the last two years have been nothing short of enriching. Musically, Pat has worked within and appropriated a number of styles into his sound, from his early days singing with that heavenly voice as a choir boy to his more recent forays into laptop-assisted indie-pop made in his bedroom, best exemplified on 2010’s acclaimed Curtis Lane EP. His sound is so wide-ranging that he has found himself touring with many notable acts of differing genres, including dubstep producer James Blake, dreamy synth-pop of School of Seven Bells, and the indie-rock bands White Lies and White Rabbits.
Nothing quite prepares you for the leap that Pat has taken with his debut album, You Are All I See, out on August 23rd via Vagrant records. Recently, he has expanded his sonic ambitions and turned the studio into an instrument for a record that sounds cosmically huge and yet intimate all the same.
Of the album title, Pat himself says, “You Are All I See is 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.” In attempting to craft songs that meant something not only to himself but that could be meaningful to others as well, he found himself working with some universally human and fragile themes. “The songs focus primarily on the joy and heartbreak of relationships, love lost and rediscovered, battles with monogamy, battles with identity,” Pat says. “It came out much darker than I had intended, but sometimes you only have so much control.”
The grand, cinematic scope of Pat’s artistic vision is apparent on You Are All I See, which owes as much to his wide array of influences as it does to Pat’s own knack for employing these influences in fresh, forward-thinking ways. With triumphant synths and shimmering, contrapuntal harp lines, songs like the title track and “Hanging On” are reminiscent of Radiohead’s “Motion Picture Soundtrack,” but improve upon that template with layered vocals not far removed from Bon Iver or even James Blake, who Active Child recently opened for on tour. “High Priestess” and “See Thru Eyes” are stunning forays into electronic music territory, littered with samples, drum machines, and keyboards that propel the songs forward while simultaneously seeming weightless and suspended. It is in this tension that You Are All I See lives, breathes, and thrives so magnificently. The album is indebted to the sounds of the 1980s, from New Order’s drums-and-synths to danceable hip-hop beats, and it’s all topped off with soaring r&b melodies. The album’s first single, “Playing House,” features guest vocals from Tom Krell, the crooner of lo-fi r&b project How To Dress Well. Pitchfork Media recently premiered the track, noting “Active Child’s sound now seems positively ahead of its time.”
Reflecting on the album’s finished product, Pat says “I think more than anything, I see this debut release as a bridge towards something bigger and truer. Something I can look back on and think, ‘damn, you really did it’.” When you finally hear You Are All I See you’ll think the very same thing.
When Your Love Is Safe
Active Child Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I woke up early in the morning and I could have been anywhere
But I know exactly where I am
Somewhere between making love and being friends
I tried to call you in the evening but you didn't pick up
Something about being busy, hustling just trying to make a buck
But I know that's just the way you are
When your love is safe
I'll be giving it all away
When your hope is gone
I'll be up till dawn
Something that I want to tell you that I'll never say
Sorry that I ever told you all those thinks I didn't mean inside my head
But you know that's just the way I am
Just trying to forget but this ain't no ordinary love
When your love is safe
I'll be giving it all away
When your hope is gone
I'll be up till dawn
When your love
Your love
Your love
Giving it all away
When your love
Your love
Your love
Giving it all away
The opening lines of Active Child's "When Your Love Is Safe" conjure up the feeling of disorientation that follows a one-night stand. The singer wakes up alone, somewhere unfamiliar, and struggles to remember the details of the night before. But amidst the confusion, there's a sense of comfort in knowing exactly where he stands with his partner: "Somewhere between making love and being friends." The relationship is undefined, but at least it's not one-sided.
Later in the song, we hear the singer trying to reach out to his partner, only to be met with silence. He knows that his partner's just "trying to forget" – but he also knows that their love is anything but "ordinary." It's clear from the way he keeps returning to the refrain ("When your love is safe / I'll be giving it all away") that he's willing to sacrifice everything for this relationship. He's willing to wait up till dawn for his partner to come home; he's willing to lay his heart on the line and risk rejection. All he wants is to feel secure in the knowledge that he means something to this person.
Overall, "When Your Love Is Safe" is a poignant meditation on the complexities of modern romance. It captures the longing, uncertainty, and vulnerability that come with falling in love in the digital age.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up early in the morning and you weren't there
I realized early in the morning that you were not beside me.
I woke up early in the morning and I could have been anywhere
As I woke up early in the morning, I realized that I could have been in any other place than yours.
But I know exactly where I am
Despite waking up without you beside me, I know exactly where I am in life.
Somewhere between making love and being friends
I am in an undefined and ambiguous relationship with you, one that is between making love and being friends.
I tried to call you in the evening but you didn't pick up
I called you in the evening, but you did not answer my call.
Something about being busy, hustling just trying to make a buck
You told me that you were busy and trying hard to make money.
But I know that's just the way you are
I understand that your busy life is just the way you are and accept it.
Just trying to forget, but this ain't no ordinary love
You might be busy trying to forget the love we share, but this love is not ordinary and won't be easily forgotten.
Something that I want to tell you that I'll never say
There is something in my heart that I want to say but can never say it to you.
Sorry that I ever told you all those thinks I didn't mean inside my head
I apologize for saying things to you that I didn't actually mean and kept in my head.
But you know that's just the way I am
You know that I have a tendency to hold on to my thoughts and feelings, and it's my way of being.
Just trying to forget but this ain't no ordinary love
I might be trying to forget the love, but it's not an ordinary love and won't be forgotten easily.
When your love is safe
When I am sure that you love me and our relationship is strong and healthy.
I'll be giving it all away
I will devote my all to you, without doubt or hesitation.
When your hope is gone
When you are hopeless and require support to regain your confidence.
I'll be up till dawn
I will be available for you, awake till dawn, to help you with anything you need.
When your love
When you love me deeply and truly.
Your love
Your love towards me.
Giving it all away
I will give my entire self to you when your love is strong and unconditional towards me, without any reservation or hesitation.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Patrick J Grossi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nathaly S
I woke up early in the morning and you weren't there
I woke up early in the morning and I could have been anywhere
But I know exactly where I am
Somewhere between making love and being friends
I tried to call you in the evening but you didn't pick up
Something about being busy, hustling just trying to make a buck
But I know that's just the way you are
Just trying to forget, but this ain't no ordinary love
When your love is safe
I'll be giving it all away
When your hope is gone
I'll be up till dawn
Something that I want to tell you that I'll never say
Sorry that I ever told you all those thinks I didn't mean inside my head
But you…
calvinmontgomery
How could you possibly dislike this song? This has restored my faith in humanity that good music still exists.
Daena Morris
This song is so underrated. First heard it on Pandora. Love it.
TRUSS-BAR-FLATTS
..."everyone deserves to have a few friends that listen to good music, that way each one of us have the chance to hear this tasty treat"...
trailblazer4220
This and the classixx remix are seriously two of the best songs I've heard this year
bubblez94
I have major respect for people who like to mix up their taste in music and are open to everything
Nathalie Le Maire
I can't believe i found it!!!! Ever since i heard this song yesterday on the commercial i knew i had to find it! Really has alot of 80s overtones to it which is why i LOVE it! and yes MajinBadat, it really does sound like Forever Young by Aphaville! You know your stuff:))
Melanie Have
I have no words how good this is, love love love it!!!!!
Samsam
I love this band :-)
Christian Pritchett
all of his beats smack hard AF
dave houston
love this song!!