Astronautalis/Sarah Jaffe/Transit/Stage

Having cut his teeth among the Minneapolis hip-hop scene, Astronautalis has dropped four dynamic, theatrical albums. Pomegranate and This is Our Science are the must-hear outings, the former boasting outlandish experiments in hip-hop like “The Wondersmith and His Sons,” “Trouble Hunters,” and the dual rap with kindred spirit P.O.S. on “The Story of My Life.” Those experiments advance the intrigue of the alternative hip-hop scene through vivid storytelling and, at times, art bordering on spoken-word poetry. He’s a hell of a freestyler too. The singer himself has called the whole thing “historical fiction hip-hop.” Word is a new album is perennially in the works, so do keep an open ear for that tip. (Eric Sandy)