The six-piece collective, comprising of Jason Heninger and Israel Doria (live guitar, studio production), Henry Gillard (drums), Carlos Jordan (bass), and Justin Han and Cassie Brandi (vocals) have joined forces from all corners of the US, spanning New York, Texas, and Los Angeles.
With that comes a huge range of musical influence and fusion of genres, and Actve Captve’s music draws on rock, punk, rap, as well as classical and experimental sounds.
The rock-pop sound can definitely be heard on the original studio version of ‘Ellis Island’ which boasts full-band instrumental flourishes, and high energy - think of the soundtrack to a coming-of-age film as the credits are rolling.
In this newly reimagined version of 'Ellis Island' live from Studio Greenhouse, however, the track adopts a new acoustic sound, shining a light on their more classical influences. All focus is on the vocals in this stripped-back rendition, giving Justin Han and Cassie Brandi time to shine with their beautifully intertwined harmonies.
‘Ellis Island’ is a story about overcoming a difficult time, only to find yourself in a happier, healthier place, and the relief of finally gaining that perspective. As the lyrics describe “Gasping for air and smiling with all the dead weight that I left behind” and “lightning without the thunder”, this captures the sentiment perfectly whilst also conjuring up some stunning imagery.
This sentiment and musical approach can be found at the very core of Actve Captve; their main aim is to ‘to celebrate the intricate mosaic of human existence, where contradictions are celebrated, and the beauty and possibility of chaos is embraced’, so it only makes sense this shines through within their songwriting. This is also apparent, harmonically and texturally, in their performance live from Studio Greenhouse, featuring a comforting major acoustic guitar pattern and an uplifting addition of strings in the bridge.
There’s no doubt that everybody could benefit from a bit of motivation right now, and Actve Captve are here to provide just that.
Rachel Feehan
Image: ‘Ellis Island (Live from Studio Greenhouse)’ Official Single Cover
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