Five Albums You Should Be Listening To Right Now

Great new records chosen by the founder of Pigeons and Planes.

Every week, titans of the mediasphere give Hooksexup their music recommendations. This week: Jacob from Pigeons and Planes.

1. Frank Ocean, Nostalgia, Ultra

A few months ago, I had given up on modern R&B — it all started sounding the same to me. Enter Frank Ocean. He's affiliated with the alt-hip-hop collective Odd Future, so when I saw his name popping up, I figured he was making some more wonderfully demented work. But when I pressed play on his new Nostalgia, Ultra mixtape, I was blown away.

Listen: "Strawberry Swing"

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2. Theophilus London, Lovers Holiday EP

I don't know what the hell Theophilus London grew up listening to, but his music is an unlikely but surprisingly smooth blend of new wave, funk, pop, and hip-hop. If he keeps it up, he might just become the David Byrne of hip-hop. His sound is still evolving, but now that he's got a major label backing him, the music is sounding more polished than ever.

Listen: "Why Even Try"

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3. Lykke Li, Wounded Rhymes

I've always had a thing for Scandinavian girls, so when this Swedish songbird came into the scene a few years ago, I was all over her. Lykke Li's music is catchy enough to earn the pop classification, but she's got an arty edginess that sets her apart from all things cookie cutter.

Listen: "I Follow Rivers"

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4. Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Blogging about and listening to new music every single day has changed my music-consumption behavior. Instead of giving good albums the time they deserve, I scarf them down like little chicken nuggets dipped in hot sauce, and then I move on. There is, however, a difference between a "good" and a "great" album. If you ask me, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is one of the greatest albums of the 2000s, and it's one that I always enjoy spending time with.

Listen: "Jesus, Etc."

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5. e-dubble, Written Thursday

Too often, hip-hop is focused on entertainment instead of expression. Philadelphia emcee/producer e-dubble uses his music as a tool to convey his thoughts and feelings, and the honesty behind his music is striking. He brings a unique intensity in his delivery and chops up an awesome variety of samples for some really great production. Even better, pretty much everything he's done so far has been released for free via his Facebook and other social-media outlets.

Listen: "Tired"

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