During the early months of 2020, while the world was sheltering in place, singer-songwriter Andy Shauf took to the garage of his Toronto home to start a new record. The Regina-born musician has garnered international acclaim since the release of 2016’s The Party and 2020’s The Neon Skyline, including a nomination for the Polaris Music Prize. His solo discography and work with the band Foxwarren have cemented his reputation as a meticulous songwriter and gifted storyteller.

It’s hard to imagine anyone with these credentials being critical of their output, but Shauf, a self-described perfectionist who writes, performs, and produces all his albums, was looking to do something new. The result is Norm, Shauf’s latest record via Anti-. While the album is unmistakably Shauf’s, it is largely uncharted territory. The instrumentation trades in guitars for pianos and synths, resulting in a dreamy, jazz-inflected soundscape.

Like The Party and The Neon Skyline, Norm is a...