Sending a signal from the outer reaches of the planet. Yes – I’m back with a new post!

Good Afternoon to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and, after a year and a half of going through an existential crisis, I have returned to my directing chair as I finally bring you a new post on One Track At A Time – because even though we have been apart for a while, it will always be my day-to-day pleasure to showcase the greatest emerging artists who deserve to be played more on the radio! If you were previously a long-term reader of One Track At A Time (First of all, thank you very much for your kindness and patience), you may recall how I used to adore writing about an artist called Jens Lekman – a Swedish indie pop/folk singer-songwriter – who really stands out for me due to his strong ability to tell engaging stories with an equal measure of melancholy and subtle appreciation for the profound moments in life. Well, Andy Shauf is an artist who I’ve been loving recently because they offer a very similar USP but their music is a little more gritty in its textures. With his origins rooted firmly in Saskatchewan in Canada – Andy Shauf later moved to Biennfait and Regina where he developed an interest in playing Christian music with his parents, a time where he learned how to play various instruments including the Clarinet. Today, I’m going to be telling you about ‘Halloween Store’ – so take a few to check it out and join me below.

If you are new to Andy Shauf, then you share the same story as me. I only managed to catch glimpses of his most recent music on BBC Radio 6 Music through various shows including The New Music Fix playlist and Tom Ravenscroft’s weekend show. ‘Norm’ is his latest album, having been released on February 10th, 2023 via Anti- Records. The full-length album is built around a fictional character of the same name, with Shauf commenting, “The character of Norm is introduced in a really nice way, but the closer you pay attention to the record, the more you’re going to realize that it’s sinister”, in press releases building up to the release date. If you have an ear for the softer side of music, you’re going to be quite pleased to know that ‘Halloween Store’ is a sparkling highlight of warm substance, and not a terrifying descent into chaos. Starting off the summer-friendly, concise indie pop/rocker with a raw acoustic guitar strum and an embellishment of drum cymbals, Shauf starts with a light rhythm as he tells an amusing anecdote about seeking a Halloween costume before a surreal encounter with an old flame. You can hear gentle sweeps of electronic Synths and a gentle Hi-Hat groove that creates more upbeat rhythms, soundtracking the butterflies in his stomach as he delivers lovely lyrics like “As my fog cleared/I realized, That you were sitting in your car/Smiling at me in the Halloween store” with a youthful bombast as the near Classical-like crescendo picks up. While his voice feels a little brittle and nervous, the twee nature of his anecdote fits the mood of the character with expert precision. The track feels like one of those dreams you experience where you wake up feeling cheerful and amused, but you’re never quite sure why because the positivity that you just felt was a half-remembered entity. It’s perhaps not a track that will tip the world on its axis commercially – which is exactly my type of music – but I find it gripping and enjoyable how Shauf manages to balance mundanity and drama in a way that feels warm and nostalgic simultanouesly due to his softly simple-but-effective approach. We just had Valentine’s – but this is as autumnul as late October.

Thanks so much for checking out my latest post! I may have lost my music mojo, but my dedication has always been to bring you my thoughts some emerging artists that simply take my breath away! I would love it if you would give me a follow on Twitter at @JacobBraybrook2 and I may help you to discover your next favourite artist there!