Resting his head on the same cloud encompassing super-producers such as Factor, Zavala and Blue Sky Black Death, Max Heath is the latest Fake Four beatsmith to step forth with an instantly recognizable maximalist palette via Child Actor. The Connecticut-based Heath, who plays alongside indie rap icon Ceschi in Anonymous Inc., has expanded his range into a full-fledged cinematic opus that stands on its own yet leaves room for a siren.
With Child Actor, Heath teams up with Bostonian cousin Sedgie Ogilvy to concoct R & B for the digital age, with hip hop and psych elements clawing at the walls of a restless alt-pop soundscape. The sultry vocals of Ogilvy often sound as if slowly risen from the bottom of a well and out into speakers. Her vulnerable, home-recorded demos constitute the foundation for Heath’s often mountainous production consisting of heaps of synths, expertly-chopped samples, and his own complementary backing vocals. Victory, the duo’s debut long player, comes on the heels of two well-received EPs (Partner and Window) released earlier in the year. Songs like “Reasons” and “If You Loved Me” get under the skin quickly with Ogilvy’s alternately plaintive and assured voice engulfed in Heath’s fluid, ethereal patterns.
Max Heath is also an experimental composer with a solo project, Circadion, set to drop in the not-too-distant future. He directs all of Child Actor’s videos, including the visually stunning 3D clip for “Get Up,” as well as videos for artists such as Dark Time Sunshine.
Like a distant relative to Portishead, Child Actor’s Victory is a smooth, atmospheric ride through fog-curled streets toward your lover’s apartment. Heath and Ogilvy wash over a stale genre by reinventing the wheel with lush orchestration, magnetic drums and gorgeous, emotive vocals.
