3. Security (1982)

Security is the most underrated album in a vastly underrated catalog. And that’s understandable: This is Gabriel’s least melodic album, offering some of his most peculiar and abstract compositions. The source of that experimentation is the Fairlight CMI, a synthesizer that allowed Gabriel to sample found sounds and manipulate them tonally. The eerie instrument is the album’s sonic foundation, particularly on extended, brooding epics like “San Jacinto” and “The Family And The Fishing Net.” Luckily, Gabriel balanced out the bloodletting with a few bright hues, most notably on the bouncy synth-pop anthems “I Have The Touch” and “Shock The Monkey.”