An R&B Futurist's Glossy, Lightly Horny Debut
Plus: a beloved folk artist gets the covers treatment, a minimalist piano god soundtracks a tremendous film, and more.
Welcome to the latest installment of Five Albums, the weekly feature for paid Hearing Things subscribers in which we discuss a handful of new records catching our attention. As music journalists, the question we get most often from friends is how to stay on top of what’s happening now. This is our attempt to provide a practical answer.
Every pick this week draws on other works for inspiration—rap, folk, R&B, and rock artists looking to the giants of the recent past; a minimal piano joint with a deep emotional tone that mirrors the film it soundtracks—but avoids the mistake of being too wistful while improving on their respective foundations. Art is a conversation, baby!
