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testcard- Lines

Released on the 2nd June 2008, Testcard bring us their debut album “Lines”. Optimistic clean electro pop is probably the best way to describe this urban release, if nothing else springs to mind. Trust me, it won’t.

Resort back to the 1980’s, add a few new millennium synth sounds and find this propping up on your shelf. “Armed with balls and proper lyrics” apparently. Is this because they mention Topman?

Programmed by Matthew Smith and vocalled by Simon Bradshaw, Testcard fail to really turn me on. It’s all well and good reviving 80’s electro, but not doing anything with it and merely focusing on the blueprint fails to impress even the addicted electro-holics out there.

The record, brought to us by Knave Records, starts well; opening tracks ‘The strangest of times’, ‘all over’ and ‘too much’ are pretty good, if ever so slightly camp. You wouldn’t be laughed at if you figured Testcard featured on Eurovision, because there is an element of cheese and copy cat genre about this one. Early Human League or New Order must have been heavy influences because the comparisons are endless. It’s Hot Chip without the commercial friendly aspects; Ladytron without the dirt.

With electro music definitely coming back, Testcard have released this record to perfection. It’s a shame that it doesn’t come up to scratch. There isn’t really anything endearing about it either. Self reflection quickly evaporates and transitions into self obsessiveness. It even at times borders into Adam Ricketts (breathe) and Dane Bowers quality- don’t mock me for even knowing these tracks.

Avoid slower track ‘two floors’ and terrible album title ‘lines’ with a passion, as an average release slowly becomes a poor one as the tracks further and digress. It lacks any real form of identity and endearing qualities.

Not all doom and glom I guess, the packaging is cool. Highlighted are railway lines and a school grounds, with directions leading you to an unknown destination. Less packaging more production next time perhaps?