UNTESTED

Before anyone thought to measure you, you were already living. Making plans. Getting it wrong. Rebuilding.

UNTESTED answers the cold certainty of an outside verdict with lived experience and a dry smile. There is room here for doubt, unfinished work and knowing who you are anyway. You don't need to pass someone else's test to keep making a life of your own.

Part of SIGNAL OVER STATIC, TEKNOLUST's continuing collection of human stories in electronic sound.

I'M NOT NEW. I'M NEW TO YOU.

UNTESTED TEKNOLUST

[Intro]

Please confirm you're human. I am.

[Verse 1]

I had the whole thing figured out. It didn't go that way. Kept the little red light recording Till I had something to say.

Some days I built a future. Some days I just got dressed. Both of them took something You don't know how to test.

[Pre-Chorus]

I didn't start existing When you finally looked my way.

[Chorus]

Untested— That's a funny thing to say. I've been getting up for years, Not just showing up today.

Untested— You've got catching up to do. I'm not new. I'm new to you.

[Post-Chorus]

I'm not new. I'm new to you.

[Verse 2]

You've got a voice like thunder And a cord plugged in the wall. You've never had to lose a thing, But you want to judge it all.

All that perfect certainty From a box up on a shelf. Who put you in charge of me? Did you approve yourself?

[Pre-Chorus]

I didn't start existing When you finally looked my way.

[Chorus]

Untested— That's a funny thing to say. I've been getting up for years, Not just showing up today.

Untested— You've got catching up to do. I'm not new. I'm new to you.

[Breakdown]

Experience not recognized.

[Spoken]

Funny. I was there.

[Bridge]

Some of what I've lived through I still don't understand. I can be a work in progress And still know who I am.

[Final Chorus]

Untested— That's a funny thing to say. I've been getting up for years, Not just showing up today.

Untested— You've got catching up to do. I'm not new. I'm new to you.

[Post-Chorus]

I'm not new. I'm new to you.

[Outro]

Assessment incomplete.

I've got somewhere to be.