Albums to seek out this fall: Perfume Genius, Zola Jesus and Sbtrkt

Like Peter Parker and Princess Diana of Themyscira disappearing behind Spider-Man and Wonder Woman masks, the artists born Mike Hadreas, Nika Danilova and Aaron Jerome perform vanishing acts this fall when each releases new music under larger-than-life monikers.

Respectively, the artists known as Perfume Genius, Zola Jesus and Sbtrkt are vying for attention in a busy season that will see records by, among others, U2, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Foo Fighters, Lady Antebellum, Prince and Lil Wayne.

Though less known, each aspires to a kind of grandiosity from which popular fan devotion is born. Amid all the bounty, the following records deserve shelf space next to the more prominent headliners. They are some I’ll be recommending to friends for the rest of the year.

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Perfume Genius, “Too Bright” (Matador). In late July, the Seattle-based singer, pianist and songwriter released a breathtaking video for “Queen,” the first single on his new, and best, album. A curious psychodrama featuring an android Elvis Presley impersonator, gigantic crustaceans and cheerleaders with “Free Bird” written on their uniforms, the clip was an early tease that Perfume Genius had made some sort of breakthrough.

“Too Bright” confirms as much. Produced by Adrian Utley of Portishead, the record highlights Hadreas’ inventive piano work, his sweet, confident tenor and instrumentation heavy on percussion and haunting, echoed tones. It’s a record to fall for, a record to obsess over. Comes out Sept. 22.

Sbtrkt, “Wonder Where We Land” (Young Turks/XL). Similarly enchanting are the deep, humming chords, synthetic melodic dots and R2-D2-style bleeps crafted by British-born producer Sbtrkt (pronounced “Subtract”). The album, which builds on the promise of his breakout debut, thrives within richly imagined synthetic landscapes suggesting British 2-step garage and trip-hop and American hip-hop.

As on his first studio record, Jerome employs a range of vocalists to accompany his beats, including British singers Jessie Ware and Sampha, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and New York rapper ASAP Ferg. The last track on “Wonder Where We Land,” the harrowing “Voices in My Head,” races through emotions and fears with unflinching honesty. “Problem (Solved)” is highlighted by a weird, oblong piano melody and circuitous melodic flourishes. Comes out Sept. 29.

Zola Jesus, “Taiga” (Mute). On her first album for the respected Mute imprint (and her fifth overall), the musician goes large with a cavernous, invigorating synth-wave sound. A focused, serious creator with a solid aesthetic, breathtaking musical vocabulary and a confident vision, Danilova, a former philosophy student, works with a sound palette that recalls Siouxsie and the Banshees, Kate Bush, Björk and This Mortal Coil.

“Taiga” may be part of a continuum, but at the center is an artist channeling a very specific and refined aesthetic. The record’s best tracks, “Long Way Down,” “Hunger” and the quiet-storm tension of “Ego,” strive for and deliver singularly powerful moments. Comes out Oct. 6.

Twitter: @LilEdit