Test Card es el proyecto en solitario de Lee Nicholson, residente en Vancouver, Canadá. Nicholson fue miembro de Formula One a fines de la década de 1990 y de Domestic4 a principios de la década de 2000, lanzando varios álbumes, singles y EP en sellos independientes como Kooky, Fierce Panda, Liquefaction Empire, Shifty Disco, Invicta Hi-Fi, Vaclav, y Star Harbour.

“Channels” es el quinto álbum de larga duración de Test Card que consiste en 10 canciones que evocan la música de la década de los ’90, como Lullatone, Melodium, ISAN, Solvent, Manual, de los sellos Audio Dregs, Autters Directions, Morr Music, Suction Records, City Centre Offices, entre otros. De hecho, “Timbre Trees In Analog Gardens” me recuerda gratamente al dúo inglés ISAN por sus líneas sintetizadas. 

Nicholson realiza una música electrónica de ensueño en la que combina caja de ritmos, guitarra, sintetizadores y grabaciones de radio que navegan por las nubes del Ambient. “We Game Us Play Our Sound” desarrolla un groove hipnótico con atisbos al Dub, mientras que “Still The Field Is A Pleasure Pasture And Space So Softly Was” se desenvuelve con gracia y elegancia como si fuera parte de una danza. Varias de las canciones en este álbum tienen la particularidad de comenzar lentamente; las notas del sintetizador se articulan con otras de la guitarra o con la caja de ritmos y de ahí comienza a desarrollar su estructura, desplegando bellas melodías, en un álbum que despierta una escucha placentera.

https://soundinsilencerecords.bandcamp.com/album/channels

Guillermo Escudero

Junio 2023

Test Card is the solo project of Vancouver, Canada based Lee Nicholson, who was a member of Formula One in the late 1990s and Domestic4 in the early 2000s, releasing several albums, singles and EPs on various independent labels including Kooky, Fierce Panda, Liquefaction Empire, Shifty Disco, Invicta Hi-Fi. Fi, Vaclav, and Star Harbour.

“Channels” is Test Card’s fifth full-length album consisting of 10 songs evoking music from the '90s, in the likes of Lullatone, Melodium, ISAN, Solvent, Manual, that released in imprints such as Audio Dregs, Autters Directions, Morr Music, Suction Records, City Centre Offices, among others. In fact, “Timbre Trees In Analog Gardens” pleasantly reminds me of ISAN English duo synth lines.

Nicholson makes dreamy electronic music in which he combines rhythm box, guitar, synthesizers and radio recordings that navigate through the Ambient clouds. “We Game Us Play Our Sound” develops a hypnotic groove with hints of Dub, while “Still The Field Is A Pleasure Pasture And Space So Softly Was” unfolds with grace and elegance as if it were part of a dance piece. Several songs on this album have the peculiarity that unfurl slowly; the synthesizer notes articulate with the guitar chords and the rhythm box, and from there, it begins to develop its structure displaying gorgeous melodies, in an album that arouses a pleasant listening.

https://soundinsilencerecords.bandcamp.com/album/channels

Guillermo Escudero

June 2023