Active Child @ SXSW

South by Southwest ? Well, over here in the UK we’re more South by South-Central, and as a result of this we haven’t even given the event a mention on this blog. It does seem that virtually every new music blogger in the world except Breaking More Waves was either there, or there in spirit. However, if you do want to read a thought provoking and intelligent piece on the economic battle ground that SXSW is and how it’s hard for bands to resist the lure of those four letters, whatever it costs them, then have a read of Looking For Gold. What this blog says is as much to do with the wider debate concerning the music industry and its current state, as it is to do with SXSW.

However today it’s time to at least give a nod to the event by bringing some new material from Pat Grossi, better known as Active Child. A new song called Wilderness has just gone up on the Active Child Myspace, and Pat performed it at SXSW along with a cover version of Ceremony by New Order. Both tracks were filmed in high quality and can be seen in the video below.

Wilderness is a hauntingly heavy piece of landscape synth that broods with mystery and menace. Sombre glacial keyboards float around the atmosphere whilst Grossi brings his ethereal falsetto to rest over the top. To show variety, his cover version is more forceful, with twangy bass and deeper vocals.

SXSW doesn’t get all of the cream though, it has to share it with the cats over here in the UK. In a couple of months Active Child touches down with confirmed shows in Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, London, The Great Escape Festival and Latitude Festival. See you at one of those maybe ?

Active Child x SXSW 2010 from Yours Truly on Vimeo.