A New Line (Related) is the solo project of Andrew Johnson who has previously released music, either as a member of the bands Hood, The Remote Viewer, Famous Boyfriend and On Fell or solo under his real name and the alias of Septemberist. 'A Quarterly Update On The Sadness,' his third full-length album, consists of eight new tracks with a total duration of something more than 38 minutes. Johnson balances minimal techno, dub house and ambient pop, using sounds from old analog drum machines, deep chords of eerie synths, gentle bass lines, distorted loops, shimmering drones, hypnotic effects, repetitive tribal beats and Hood-style distant vocals.

First track, "Calapsis" keeps the beat with a muted kick adding in a reverse reverb rhythm with some other ephemeral effects and filter changes for a distinctly hypnotic intro. "3am worry sessions" is techno with glitch-modified rhythm and reverbed alterations and a cool underlying subliminal sequencing. The next track, "It's five oclock somewhere in my heart (there's a star that shines for you)" begins as if it might be straight ahead, but then stutters and skitters around beats misplaced and displaced. (I really didn't grok this one at all.) "The ballad of billy kee" begins submerged, like an old cassette tape played too many times and left in the glove box too long. About 45 seconds in, a chugging rhythm emerges and this could be the soundtrack for a toy steam locomotive in a basement setup. (Perhaps Billy Kee is the little engineer?) "Only star loop" is swirling electronic ambience around a little hand drum/cymbal combo like a vintage Roland drum machine. A synth sequence emerges along with some minimal male vocals that are more like samples and it's pretty engaging, strange as it sounds. A different set of vintage drum machine samples with layered pads forms the basis of "lytham and sound," and of course, there has to be an added rhythmic sequence as well. I especially like the sound of the intermittent synth chord, employed sparsely enough (every 8 measures).

It's about time for a four-on-the-floor beat used in the title track, with a picky sequence and wash 'n' wear synth chords. Although you've heard these elements a zillion times, Johnson seems to pull off something fresh and vital on this track, still managing to recall pop flavors of the '80s and '90s. For the finale, A New Line (Related) gives us rhythmless ambience on "left tones," a track based on a manipulated semi-industrial sampled loop that stays the course throughout in gloomy spirit. Although I wouldn't call 'A Quarterly Update On The Sadness' (the title sounds more like the name of a future DOGE report) a great album, it does have its merits and I liked it more than I thought I would. Standard SIS limited edition of 200 in hand-made packaging for the pyysical release.