Sandro Perri

In Another Life // Constellation

It has been seven years since Sandro Perri delivered us the unimaginably beautiful record Impossible Spaces. Its follow up does not disappoint nor does it follow the same formula. Perri calls In Another Life an experiment in “infinite” songwriting, which is a good descriptor, as the album is made up of only four songs and runs 44 minutes long. The title track makes up Side A and has a runtime of nearly twenty-five minutes, but you’d never know unless you looked at its length. The song wraps you up like a warm blanket fresh from the dryer and puts you into a dreamlike state making time meaningless. Repetition is the backbone and it gives Perri the opportunity to play with layers of soothing synths, subtle guitar and calming piano which rise and fall so expertly that sometimes you’re unsure if they were even there. “Everybody’s Paris” takes up Side B and is made up of three parts with Perri singing the first, Andre Ethier (The Deadly Snakes) the second, and Dan Bejar (Destroyer) the third. The melody and lyrical content tie the parts together with the instrumentation differing between them, matching the mood to each singer’s respective style. Although in three parts, Side B really plays like one track as well and continues the theme of moving sideways instead of forward. This theme makes In Another Life a mediative experience that challenges the status quo and its success in doing so solidifies Sandro Perri as one of Canada very best in song craft.

- Jeff MacCallum