The Beyond

Test Card Girl

Single Review

At this point in time I don’t think there is much that Test Card Girl can do wrong musically for me. Each song she has released has exposed a new side to her composition skill and the passion to create something a step beyond what has come before. From her first single ‘Hold Me Down’ right through to ‘Fly’ each track has been full of a playful air blended with an honest core. Sonically however they each tried to push her musical vision ever forwards and it has been a pleasure to hear the sound evolve and develop in real time. So upon the announcement of new single ‘The Beyond’ to say I was looking forward to seeing what direction her sound would take would be understating things slightly.

As it opens ‘The Beyond’ Immediately feels a lot more enclosed than previous single ‘Fly’. While ‘Fly’ was big synths, big swells, and felt like warm waves passing over you, ‘The Beyond’ feels more intimate, more inverted, like a fleece blanket after a long day. It still maintains the synths and blends them nicely with aan acoustic picking pattern to create a rolling effect. This for me feeds into the songs over arching theme of Journeys, both metaphorical and literal (more on that in a moment). The song embraces a steady momentum and even when the larger parts of the song kick in, they still maintain a more contained illation feel. Think about when you get really excited about something in front of people who wouldn’t understand, outside you’re like ‘Whatever’, inside you’re like ‘OH MY GOD!’ and you’ll get what I mean.

This very personal feel to the music really feeds into the songs themes so well. As mentioned above, for me, the song deals with feelings about the journeys we take in life. The opening lyrics ‘….On the way to the mountain, on the way to the sea….” So simple and yet so evoking of so much. Throughout life these two natural formations have been used to symbolise lines struggles and lives achievements. Also, to use the word ‘Mountain’ not ‘Mountains’ (this may be a reach on my end) really does cement that individually personal tone of the overall song. After this moment the lyrics continue to be full of symbolism and metaphors that honestly I could really relate to.

One big thing that stood out for me in regards to my own personal connection to the song is the metaphor for age and worrying about the future that is more promonate in the later half of the song. ‘….More than half to go now, less than half again….” On the surface, again simple travelling imagery, just distance. To me though this symbolised how we put so much emphasis on age and bracket ourselves with phrases like ‘I’m too old for that’. Hearing this commentary in this song really did speak to me and I love how combined with the music you get a feeling of, ‘don’t think like this, we’re never going to know what comes next, so just live your life.’

Overall, Test Card Girl has done it again. She has managed to push herself musically and lyrically to create a song that is both quirky and touching all at the same time. Though it ponders on the large questions in life, it is all packaged into an intimate and expressive Alt-Electro-Folk gift that is a comfort to listen to. So go and give it a listen yourself and see what you takeaway from this song. I am so excited for the future of Test Card Girl and cannot wait to hear where your journey will take her next.

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