John Maus "Later Than You Think" LP

Arriving via his new label Young (FKA twigs, The xx, Sampha), the album explores themes of justice, confession, rebirth, transformation, and spiritual warfare, further expanding the liminal space where outsider art collides with art-pop, raw emotion, and intellectual depth.

A 21st-century philosopher-musician, Maus has earned a mythic reputation for his fierce belief in the emotional weight of sound, eccentric interpretations of pop and baroque, and legendary, cathartic live shows. Holding a degree in experimental music from CalArts and a PhD in political science from the University of Hawaii, he’s been dubbed a “philosopher pop star” and “nostalgic futurist” for the way he merges academic rigor with lo-fi synth-pop aesthetics. His influence spans high and low culture—from UK grime icon Skepta, who sampled his track “I’m Only Human,” to Josh Safdie, Natasha Lyonne, nettspend and collaborators like Panda Bear and Molly Nilsson.