I can’t even lie, I’m so excited to tell you about this month’s volume of Smoke This, Play That. I’m finally finding the groove/vibe I look for, which means I’ll be providing even better stoner jams for your earbuds. Let’s get to the musical suggestions and strain pairings so you can get high and go on audio adventures.
Jhene Aiko – Trip
Keeping it 100% organic, Trip is the single best “Yo, Let’s Get High” album to ever grace a Smoke This, Play That list. It’s right up there with Full Circle by Oliver.
Jhene Aiko has such a unique and special voice that it’s so hard not to become fully engulfed in its whispery nature. With this project, she’s finally found the perfect sound to match that voice, and it all comes together in such a musically-pleasing cocktail.
Trip is meant to sound and feel like a 22-song psychedelic trip, and boy does Aiko deliver on that goal. It’s deep; it’s personal; it’s soul-touching; it’s everything you want when you’re getting high and letting your thoughts wander. Close your eyes and sit back to this one. You will not be disappointed.
Strain:LSD
A psychedelic album needs a psychedelic strain, and LSD is the exact definition of that. It delivers a wavy head high that goes all too well with this album. Plus, the very first song on this album is called “LSD.” I mean, come on.
Gabrielle B. – Shift
Gabrielle B. is an artist out of Oklahoma City that I slipped on this past weekend, and boy am I glad I did. That girl got soul and her voice makes me want to sit in a garden full of raspberries and get high for hours as hummingbirds hover above me on some “Wow, This Is So Peaceful” type shit. It’s definitely the type of album that you play if you want to bask in the sunlight for hours.
Strain:Blue Dream
I tried not to pair this album with Blue Dream. There are so many euphoric strains that I could have picked any of them, but when I heard this album during one of my workday walks, my very first thought was, “Wow, I wish had some Blue Dream.”
Gabrielle B.’s voice sounds like a dream, the album makes you feel as if you’re floating, and it all reminds me of how I felt when I was walking around Seattle with a pre-roll of BD, living my most peaceful life. So yeah, Blue Dream is the answer.
Rapsody – Laila’s Wisdom
I let this album ride for the first time while I was in the gym knocking out a beasty back/biceps day, and every couple sets I had to step back and listen to the lyrics because this woman was rapping her ass off. By the end of my workout, I couldn’t wait to get home and get high so I could really sit and catch every single drop of science she was kicking over the sound waves.
You should smoke something and play this immediately, do you hear me? It’s one of the best projects of 2017, hands down.
Strain:Cinderella 99
Cinderella 99’s a sativa-dominant hybrid that punches you in the chest and turns your brain into a complete haze. It’s one of the most ideal strains I can think of for Laila’s Wisdom. You’ll be smacked on it, but it’s not going to force you into a high coma, which is perfect for this album because you really need a super cerebral high that’ll force you to sit and analyze every single element of this music.
Cut Copy – Haiku From Zero
I got high and went on a long car ride to this album, and if I told you I didn’t smile through the entire 42 minutes of musical euphoria, I’d be lying. This is the type of music that makes you want to go outside and dance in an open field of blue bonnets for no apparent reason. Matter fact, get high and go do that. “Black Rainbows” will have your toes a-tappin’, baby.
Strain:Green Crack
Much like Gabrielle B. and Blue Dream, I heard this Cut Copy album and immediately thought of Green Crack. It’s a sativa that’ll have you up, alert, and happy. That’s how I felt when listening to this album, just straight loose as a goose.
Floral Canyon – *repeat repeat
I’ve never heard of Floral Canyon, but I slipped up on this album and it is so good. SO GOOD. So good that I’m currently googling their tour dates so I can experience “Ghost” in real life. I played *repeat repeat just to check it out, and by the end of it I was covered in sweat from how hard I was rocking out.
Strain:Jack Herer
I’m going to be honest, I saw this album cover and it reminded me of the Jack Herer Leafly t-shirt that I have in my closet, so I was going to pair *repeat repeat with Jack Herer no matter what. Luckily, the high from Jack Herer goes with the high from this album. It’s a sativa that offers an uplifting/happy high that doesn’t overwhelm any body part; it’ll just make you feel like, “Okay, yeah. I’m high. I’m here. I’m present. Let’s do this.” So will this album.
As always, here’s the monthly playlist for your eardrums featuring some real deep cuts and stoner vibes: Smoke This, Play That Vol. 5 iTunes Playlist
