I completely agree that Arjen's sound doesn't usually evolve or branch out much. It almost always has that "space" sound to it, and if you are super familiar with his music then a lot of it can be predictable.
That being said, I think Lost In The New Real is one of his most focused albums ever. Since he focuses on a different style for each song this time around, the songs are much more digestible and the album has better pacing as well as a smoother flow. I really appreciate the Beatles influence on this album, and I'm not even a huge Beatles fan. I can tell that Arjen is very passionate about this project, which is part of what makes it sound fresher than previous efforts.
I disagree about the chorus's, for the most part. There are only a couple of songs that didn't really hook me with the chorus, but most of the time there are excellent instrumentations with interesting chord/note instrumentations.
I don't think Arjen will go down in history as one of the greats in the same way that the other musicians you mentioned will, but he has a very particular niche that he dominates. Plus, if you haven't heard anything from him before (which I'm assuming a lot of people in this thread haven't), Lost In The New Real is one of the best places to start.