Andy Shauf - Norm

Andy Shauf’s ‘Norm’ is an immaculately-crafted and delicate collection of soft, lilting songs from a songwriter who excels in the gentle and understated - its quiet charms unveiling themselves with repeated listens.

‘Norm’ is the Canadian singer-songwriter's eighth album and it’s clear that longevity is down to both his ability as a nimble storyteller and musical dexterity as he self-produces and self-records the whole thing, from guitar to piano to copious amounts of woodwind instruments, Shauf is something of a mini-musical genius. The kind of person who can pick up any skill with ease.

Despite the impressive musical skill on show, though, there’s a sleepy quality to much of the album which makes it undoubtedly pretty but very much a record for those soft chill-out vibes on a cold night - but y’know what, we can all do with a bit of that on a bleak winter night. Lovely stuff.