Vinyl + Cannabis 3
Our Favorite Albums Paired with our Favorite Mood-Setting Strains
Written By: JAKE KUCZERUK
ALBUM:
Are You Experienced by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (Polydor, Track, 1967)
PRODUCER:
Chas Chandler
GENRE:
Psychedelic blues rock
CULTIVAR:
Headbanded (H) 1G Pre-Roll
CULTIVATED BY:
Sol Spirit Farm
EFFECTS:
Blissfully fun, energetic, relaxation
AROMA:
Sweet and skunky gas, with a hint of earth and lemon
Headband needs no introduction. This legendary cross of OG Kush and Sour Diesel is a West Coast classic, heralded for its highly-potent, euphoric effects. The name says it all: Headband is notorious for its unique pattern of cerebral stimulation, leaving users with a halo-like tingle that can be felt behind their eyes and sinuses. It’s a rare sensation that you typically only see in the most old-school of cultivars. This variant, dubbed "Headbanded" is 80% original Headband—but with a touch of Sour Diesel and Element in its lineage.
The fact that Sol Spirt Farm, which is easily one of my favorite Emerald Triangle Sun + Earth Certified cultivators, has put this one out is just icing on the cake. If you like regenerative, organic cannabis grown by two Deadheads, Sol Spirit is for you. They’ve even launched a “Bud & Breakfast” retreat up at their Trinity County HQ, ideal for everything from whitewater rafting to hunting for Bigfoot. You’ll find that this smooth-smoking pre-roll burns down perfectly and leaves you pleasantly uplifted.
Is pairing this one with music from the most famous headband wearer of all-time (honorable mentions to my guys Andre Agassi and Captain Jack Sparrow) too obvious? Alas, it would be, if this wasn’t such a perfect match. Jimi Hendrix’s debut solo album didn’t just help set the stage for the emergence of psych-rock, it was a glimpse into the sounds emanating from Dante’s 7th Circle of Hell, which forever blew the minds of audiences who had just barely finished adapting to Dylan going electric.
Just a few years removed from his stint as a US Army Paratrooper and playing in the backing band for the Isley Brothers, Hendrix redefined the face of music forever as he unleashed an onslaught of blistering guitar licks fed through overdriven amps, dripping in feedback and distortion. None of this would have been possible without his rhythm section, the oft-overlooked Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. The UK version kicks off things with “Foxy Lady” while the US opens with “Purple Haze.” Regardless of which one you decide to throw on, expect to spend your next 40 minutes in a sonic trance, enhanced by Sol Spirit’s handiwork.
ALBUM:
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Brian Eno and David Byrne (Sire, E.G., 1981)
PRODUCER:
Brian Eno, David Byrne
GENRE:
Avant-funk
CULTIVAR:
Grape Pie x Animal Cookies, Live Ice Water Hash Gummies
CULTIVATED BY:
Sunrise Mountain for Papa’s Select
EFFECTS:
Deep relaxation with a creative energy boost
AROMA:
Tart, sour berries with a bite of earthiness
I previously worked in gummy manufacturing and have sampled at least a hundred different edibles over the past decade. So trust me when I say that Papa’s Select produces the best mass-market gummy.
I know, it’s a bold claim, but it’s one I’ll stand by. A truly spectacular gummy starts with top-tier source material: in this case, live ice water hash from Sunrise Mountain’s Grape Pie x Animal Cookies (a.k.a. Granimals). While we’re starting to see an increasing number of edibles’ brands also go the solventless route, Papa’s Select understands the advantages of leveraging terpene-rich sun-grown to pair with their all-natural pectin base, delivering a balanced array of effects and flavor. These will hit rapidly (20 minutes) and leave you blissfully lightened for hours.
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is one of my go-to weekend morning albums, which is also my favorite time to consume edibles. It is ten tracks of funky avant-garde rock that you can easily throw on in the background as you’re cleaning, cooking, or creating. There would be no Massive Attack or Moby without this album. There may not even be a J Dilla without David and Brian pioneering the use of repetitive rhythms back in 1981, with sampled funk beats essentially serving as the main driving vocal. While “America is Waiting” and “Mea Culpa” were both given experimental short film videos, it’s the one-two punch of “Regiment” followed by “Help Me Somebody” that gets me grooving.
What a shock, the writer covered in horror movie tattoos digs an album that samples an exorcism. Grab a copy of Byrne’s How Music Works, throw on some Ghosts, and pop some Papa’s Select to have yourself a chill morning.
ALBUM:
Breath of Fresh Air by Gucci Mane (Atlantic, 1017, 2023)
PRODUCER:
Mike Will Made It, J. White Did It, Zaytoven, Murda Beatz, Tay Keith, No Sleep, TP808
GENRE:
Trap, hip-hop
CULTIVAR:
Grape Guava
CULTIVATED BY:
Zatix
EFFECTS:
Couch-lock sedation, mood improvement
AROMA:
Gushers (candy), lavender, lemongrass
Promising a hand-trim, “100% white ash,” and potent terpene profiles, founder High Chris (@zatix.chris on IG) has put his 20+ years of industry experience to good use, capturing the vibes and culture in his products that made California’s legacy market so damned special in the first place.
Grape Guava is a unique indica phenotype chock-full of myrcene terpenes that deliver a deeper state of mental and physical sedation. While that may make it a poor choice for hitting the gym, it can help melt away any sense of anxiety or pain you may be feeling, ushering in a sense of calm that feels like taking a tranquilizer dart straight to the jugular.
Trap/hip-hop music is simply the most appropriate pairing for Grape Guava’s couch-lock. Gucci is still the undisputed king of trap music, but ever since his 2016 stint in lockup, Gucci has emerged as a devoted family man, releasing Breath of Fresh Air on his sixth wedding anniversary with his longtime partner Keyshia Ka’oir, and featuring the couple and their son, Ice, on its album cover. “Must be Me” starts the album off strong with stabbing bass hits. But it’s “Glizock & Wizop” ft. Key Glock that I most often revisit.
“I should have kept it clean and probably just did weed.” Gucci may be off the lean these days–but this pairing may make you feel like you’ve got a fresh double-cup in hand.
ALBUM:
Donuts by J Dilla (Stones Throw, 2006)
PRODUCER:
J Dilla, Peanut Butter Wolf
GENRE:
Instrumental hip-hop
CULTIVAR:
Gen Z Live Rosin
CULTIVATED BY:
Heritage Hash Co.
EFFECTS:
A more uplifting and euphoric indica than you may be used to
AROMA:
Savory onion and garlic, fuel, citrus
Heritage Hash Co.’s Cherry Blossom Belle was the apprentice of dearly departed master hash-maker Frenchy Cannoli. Once you sample the product, you’ll understand why she’s the most appropriate torchbearer to carry on his legacy. This is ultra-premium hash crafted at the world’s first public “hashery,” Heritage’s manufacturing facility and retail store up in Ukiah, which lets you experience the production process firsthand. While their flower is often sourced from a network of smaller, independent farms, this particular example, their Gen Z (GMO x Dark Rainbow), was grown in-house. Naturally, it smells and tastes a lot like GMO, with earthy notes of garlic, diesel, and onion playing against that grapefruit-like citrus punch.
Heritage is your favorite hashmaker’s favorite hash, much in the same way that J Dilla is a true producer’s producer. 2006’s Donuts is the quintessential underground hip-hop instrumental album and his magnum opus. Released on his 32nd birthday, just three days before his death, the only one who can hold a candle to him is Madlib–and fittingly, they were collaborators (as Jaylib, check out 2003’s Champion Sound.) You’ve got 31 tracks, one for each year J spent on Earth, to make your way through, but many are only two minutes. Buy the vinyl and let it play through, do not attempt to jump around between tracks.
