Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Shauf is known for creating rich, self-contained worlds within his music, from his 2016 breakthrough “The Party” to 2020’s “The Neon Skyline,” which both feature a cast of recurring characters and unfold over the course of one night.

In a press release describing his latest project, “Norm,” Shauf insists he sought out to make a “normal” album, steering clear of the high concepts that defined his previous work.

Upon first listen, “Norm” is a gorgeously produced collection of short folk-fiction. When given closer attention, the album unfurls into an anthology of dark, interconnected tales of loss, unrequited love and casual brushes with the divine.

Tracklist:
Wasted On You
Catch Your Eye
Telephone
You Didn’t See
Paradise Cinema
Norm
Halloween Store
Sunset
Daylight Dreaming
Long Throw
Don’t Let It Get To You
All Of My Love