Test Card - Channels [Sound In Silence 102]

Put out on the circuit on May 1st, 2k23 via the Athens-based Sound In Silence imprint is "Channels", the latest album outing conceived by Vancouver's Lee Nicholson under the artistic alias that is Test Card. Being his fifth longplay outing under this name Nicholson caters a menu of 10 brand new pieces rolled out over the course of 44 minutes on this one, allegedly influenced and informed by the diy-approach and sound of the 90s 7" lo-fi and PostRock scene. This being said we see the albums opener "The Blank Code R-Write" paving the way for things to come with an undeniably raw, yet charming take on washed out, melodic and well cute Indietronica x Electronica which harks back to the early Morr Music years or long time defunct labels like Digital Kranky, Moonbunny and the likes of whereas the subsequent "Into Through Exit Wormhole" presents filtered, ever meandering quasi PostRock romanticisms for rainy Sunday afternoons and "Timbre Trees In Analog Gardens" brings forth a captivating take on Ambient Rave with its lovely vintage synth lines. Furthermore "We Game Us Play Our Sound" introduces dubbed out Downbeat x TripHop structures for lovers of The Irresistible Force, further down the line "Polybeat Five" weighs in cute, lovely and playful Electronica for small, advanced and adventurous ChillOut floors whilst "The Graphic Murmur Check" goes full on vintage Space Ambient and "On Beating Landless Wings" finally introduces uplifting atmospheres and classic text-to-speech samples for a proper retro feel just to name a few. If you've got a thing for quality IDM x ChillOut sounds with a nice 90s touch this limited edition album is one to check out for sure. Lovely.

Album artwork on Instagram!