Two years have passed since Victoria Monét released her two stand-alone songs, “F.U.C.K.” and “Coastin’.” She briefly vanished after that. The three-time Grammy nominee has now enlisted Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucky Daye to help her successfully usher in the Jaguar II era with the help of her new track “Smoke.”
With a good dosage of funky bass guitar, “Smoke” expands on the opulent R&B soundscapes of the Jaguar EP. It was produced by D’Mile, YogiTheProducer (Kehlani’s “Serial Lover”), and Tim Suby (Victoria’s own “Moment” and “Monopoly”). Victoria and Lucky add rich harmonies to the sticky tune of this seductive homage to marijuana while drawing inspiration from Prince’s chugging funk. Their clear enunciation of the hook emphasizes the staccato nature of their delivery and the subtle alliteration in lines like “Little fireworks that light up for me / In my fingertips I burn my worries.”
By the time the trumpet enters, “Smoke” feels firmly rooted in the same aural landscape as Victoria’s previous album, the Jaguar EP. However, the subject matter swings away from the sex-oriented lyrics of songs like “Moment” and “Touch Me.” Here, passion for another person is replaced with a lust for marijuana’s ability to change the world. Their background vocals really waft across the track like smoke from a joint, making it the ideal song to roll up to.
The song “Smoke” finds Victoria and Lucky interacting at the most delightful point where their individual musical styles converge. It is unquestionably a standout collaboration in both of their discographies. As Victoria continues to release the highly anticipated Jaguar II period, it is hoped that “Smoke” can achieve genuine commercial success with the support from her new collaboration with RCA Records.
