The Most Subversive Popular Musician of the Decade

Welcome to the latest installment of Five Albums, the weekly feature for paid Hearing Things subscribers in which we recommend a handful of new records that you need to hear. As music journalists, the question we get most often from friends is how to stay on top of what’s new and cool. This is our attempt to provide a practical answer.

We've got one Must Hear this week, in which Ryan contemplates the ways that a beloved spooky songwriter is pushing the boundaries of the Billboard charts. Plus: a cellist digging on buzzy synths with sensuous aplomb, a horny pop star shredding up the existential club, and more. Let's get into it!