Diamond Shake’s new single, “Flow,” adds to the long line of odes to cannabis in a way that most wouldn’t expect in this day and age. Where many artists would emphasize the psychedelic calming properties of marijuana, Diamond Shake has decided on a more upbeat sound to honor “the herb”. That’s not to say it doesn’t have a laid-back groove. In the bass and drums Diamond Shake keeps things chill and reminiscent of cannabis odes, like “Hits From The Bong” and “Brown Sugar,” but the overall tone of the song is more akin to “Got To Get You Into My Life” and “Light My Fire.” Instead of focusing on the more relaxing properties of marijuana in the sound, Diamond Shake uses upbeat guitars and a horn section to make the song a triumphant celebration of the positive effects cannabis has had on front-man Matt Hitchens’ existence.
The song’s accompanying music video further illustrates the triumphant and grandiose sound. Animated by Dominique Bloink, who took inspiration from the stained glass windows in La Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, the video shows some of the classic psychedelic tropes surrounding marijuana: cannabis leaves everywhere, the sun and moon kissing, and one shot at around 1:35 that seems an awful lot like Tame Impala’s “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.” That’s not to say this doesn’t work. It absolutely does. Bloink’s animation follows Hitchens’ lyrics and uses the visual to tell the same story that Hitchens is trying to tell through the song. It just so happens that the classic images are classics for a reason.
In “Flow,” Diamond Shake has successfully merged the two main archetypes of songs about cannabis, and I can’t wait to see where Hitchens takes this project next!
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