by Dan Ketchum
The timeless connection between weed and music is deeply ingrained in our culture, but it’s also a scientific phenomenon. Among other studies, the journal Anthropology of Consciousness measured EEG brain activity readings to find that “THC has a measurable influence on cerebral music processing and seems to enhance acoustic perception.”
You know what enhances that perception even more? A party with your favorite people. Here’s a Mistifi-approved starter pack of handpicked playlists — which suit a variety of vibes just as well as they suit a variety of strains — to get you cooking.
A Party Over the Rainbow
Let’s start with the platonic ideal of a “way up high” dinner party. Good company gathered around a big table, everyone pitching in on the food, pouring drinks for one another. An intimate conversation here, a raucous joke there, a little dancing in the kitchen. Maybe it’s at your home, maybe it’s at an Airbnb with a majestic view, lights strung up on a spring night.
This calls for feel-good music, the vibe of which will be heightened when it mingles with a euphoric high. We probably don’t need to tell you which pen to pair this one with.
- “You’ve Got Me” by The Greeting Committee
- “Saturdays” by Twin Shadow (feat. HAIM)
- “Keep the Change” by Mattiel
- “Count on Me” by Superheart
- “If U C My Enemies” by Rubblebucket
- “Give It Up or Turnit a Loose” by James Brown
- “Honeybody” by Kishi Bashi
Dance Off Your Dinner
Sometimes a dinner party ends with dessert and goodbyes, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Other times, it ends with the spontaneity of just the right song, just the right move or just the right moment — paired with just the right amount of weed — that turns the dinner party into a dance party. Cannabis can intensify the attention you pour into music, and has a tendency to amplify deeply felt positive emotions. In short, it’s made for dancing (just like you).
- “Dancing in the Dark” by Lucy Dacus
- “I Would Die 4 U” by Prince
- “Not Sorry” by Diamond Cafe
- “Don’t Delete the Kisses” by Wolf Alice
- “ily (i love you baby)” by Surf Mesa, Emilee
- “Never Stop” by FM-84, Ollie Wride
- “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club
Party Casual
A great dinner party can be a great release, the perfect de-stresser after a long week. Sometimes the vibe calls for emphasizing the “dinner” and de-emphasizing the “party,” allowing you and yours a few hours to just chill in a space with no friction. To that end, you need songs that go down easy, and strains that help keep you in balance.
- “If It Happens” by We Were Promised Jetpacks
- “What Kind of Person” by Stephen Malkmus
- “Under Pressure” by Karen O, Willie Nelson
- “Loving You” by Jonathan Wilson
- “Do Me Right” by Ruby the RabbitFoot
- “It All Comes Back Again” by Orleans
- “Super Powers” by Cocoon
- “Way It Goes” by Hippo Campus
- “If You Care” by Ebo Taylor & the Pelikans
California Rustic
Maybe it’s a barbeque. Maybe you’re sharing a cabin. Maybe everyone is seated around a campfire. There’s a good chance some Mason jars are involved, and, if you’re lucky, there’s a field full of fireflies, too. Whether you’re from the country or not, folk-inspired songs make for some of the best music to listen to high — maybe because so much of it was written while high.
- “Hey Mama” by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
- “Gentle on My Mind” by Glen Campbell
- “Everything Is Cool” by John Prine
- “Stop the World (And Let Me Off)” by Waylon Jennings
- “Goin’ to Acapulco” by Jim James, Calexico
- “Blue Eyes” by Uncle Tupelo
- “Come from the Heart” by Guy Clark
- “Where’d All the Time Go?” by Dr. Dog
Deep Convos
Some of the most special parties end quietly, after some of the revelers file out and you completely lose track of time with the late-night ramblers. This is when mellow, down-tempo tracks keep the deep thoughts flowing and the creative questions coming. Wind down the night with these introspective cuts and the relaxing triple-strain indica you’ll find in Houdini.
- “I’m Leaving” by Low Roar
- “Don’t Let Me Go” by Cigarettes After Sex
- “After the Gold Rush” by Patti Smith
- “Going Back to Strange” by Still Corners
- “You Don’t Know How It Feels” (2020 Home Recording) by Tom Petty
- “These Days” by Nico
Just like we believe in Hi-Phi to preserve the all-natural, unaltered plant, we believe in hi-fi to carry the music. Whenever you can, skip the laptop and phone speakers for a good pair of bookshelf speakers, some analog floor standing models salvaged from the Goodwill, or even the portability and convenience of a solid Bluetooth speaker with a warm tone.
After all, the Anthropology study found that THC encourages listeners to hyperfocus on acoustic space, offering a broadened insight into the “space between the notes.” In this case, the company you’re with and the weed you share fills in that space just fine.
Dan Ketchum is an LA-based freelance lifestyle, fashion, health and food writer with more than a decade of experience. He’s been fortunate enough to collaborate and publish with companies such as FOCL, Vitagenne, Livestrong, Reign Together, Out East Rosé, SFGate, The Seattle Times and more.
References:
Mistifi – Hi-Phi Extraction