Test Card is the solo project of Lee Nicholson, based in Vancouver, Canada. Nicholson was a member of Preston’s Formula One in the late 1990's and Brighton’s Domestic4 in the early 2000's, releasing albums, singles and EP's on various independent labels such as Kooky, Fierce Panda, Liquefaction Empire, Shifty Disco, Invicta Hi-Fi, Vaclav, and Star Harbour. 'Patterns' is Test Card's fourth full-length album having released his debut album on Symbolic Interaction (2016) followed by two albums on Sound In Silence (2017 and 2020), as well as an EP release on The Slow Music Movement (2018).

Right off the bat on "Return Parts Rewind" I got a mild impression of Pink Floyd, not only the way the music flowed but also some of the Gilmour-esque guitar riffs, psychedelic electronica, and general feel. Not classic rock but it surely got my attention. Now I'm hearing echoes of King Crimson’s chord progressions in "Days Like These Every Day." This still ain't prog-rock but it's almost like the music is triggering certain memories. It is definitely a sublime feature, and when "The Stockbridge Damper" comes about, I swear I've heard this bass riff before...somewhere, some time...but this track is absolutely marvelous! It has ear candy elements that are absolutely wonderful.

Unfortunately after that, the music loses some of its spark. "Every Mile is Two in Winter" has nice atmospherics, but lacks substance and seems transitory. "[Seventeen Guitars and One Piano]" is a nice enough acoustic guitar dominant track, but 17 seems to be a stretch at best and the recycling melody doesn't take long to get old. I almost thought business was about to pick up on "Nowhere To Fall But Off," but the title was somewhat prophetic. This track might better have been a song with lyrics. On "Dream Fifteen" I imagined Leo Kotke in Space, but it really more reminiscent of early '70s Philadelphia guitarist Linda Cohen and her flirtation with electronica.

"Lynwood Alleys" is like Western Brian Eno. The rest just sort of amiably ambles out. Not a bad album over all, but I think Nicholson lost something halfway through. Still worth a listen or three. Comes in the same elegant limited edition (200) packaging as other SIS releases.