Each week, SCOPE Productions will highlight five albums worth checking out. Since Friday is the industry standard for album releases each week, we'll showcase some of the best albums in a given week. For the week of February 10, 2017 we've got exciting releases from Lupe Fiasco, Quelle Chris, Teen Daze, Jesca Hoop and Thievery Corporation.
Lupe Fiasco - DROGAS Light
After countless battles with record labels over creative control, DROGAS Light is Lupe Fiasco's first independent album. DROGAS Light is set to be the first album in a trilogy. DROGAS Light features Ty Dolla Sign, Rick Ross, Big K.R.I.T and many up and coming artists. The album is a return to creative control for Lupe Fiasco focused on harder hitting hip-hop much like his earlier releases of Food & Liquor and The Cool.
Listen to Lupe Fiasco - DROGAS Light on Spotify
Quelle Chris - Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often
Shuffling through Quelle Chris’s 15-project discography on Bandcamp, it’d be hard to grasp the impact of one project with so much music. Yet, Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often stands out as unique album. The production is strong— each beat with a completely different style that somehow works in a collective project. Working substantially on his 15 projects, he’s also worked with fellow Detroit rapper, Danny Brown doing production on his breakout project The Hybrid and has toured with underground hip-hop legend and Detroit native, Black Milk. Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often is a humorous account of Chris's person experiences and resonates with the listener.
Listen to Quelle Chris - Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often on Spotify
Teen Daze - Themes for Dying Earth
Themes for Dying Earth is the sixth album from Teen Daze, the solo project of Jamison Isaak. Themes for Dying Earth is Teen Daze's most dramatic project yet. Focused on themes of climate change and disconnection from nature, Themes for Dying Earth is almost an escape for the listener. The album has hard hitting synthesizers but feels dreamy much like Teen Daze's previous work. The album has contributions from Bon Iver's S. Carey and showcases a maturity in Teen Daze's discography.
Listen to Teen Daze - Themes for Dying Earth on Spotify
Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now
Memories are Now is Jesca Hoop's sixth solo album. Last year Hoop worked with SCOPE alum, Iron & Wine's Sam Beam on their collaborative album Love Letters for Fire. Memories are Now shows pieces of inspiration from Beam but sticks to Hoop's folk roots more than anything. The album focuses on certain periods in Hoop's life and accounts older memories with beautiful songwriting. Looking to the past for songwriting inspiration, Hoop also focuses on her future.
Listen to Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now on Spotify
Thievery Corporation - The Temple of I & I
The Temple of I & I is one of the most dynamic albums released in 2017 thus far. The abstract album mixes elements of hip-hop, jazz, pop, and world music all within one album. Much like Thievery Corporation's discography, The Temple of I & I is a journey through many different sounds but each sound belongs within the piece. The album finds a happy medium between an album that'd be great for sitting back and relaxing to or getting up and dancing.
Listen to Thievery Corporation - The Temple of I & I on Spotify