Hemp Music · 2003 and 2004

Two albums, and the world's first hemp plastic CD

Before the playing cards and the oracle deck, Paul made music. Fields of Green and Oceans of Blue are relaxation albums of harp, flute and didgeridoo, recorded around Byron Bay and pressed on a CD tray made from hemp plastic, with a hemp paper insert and a didgeridoo made entirely of hemp.

Now, more than twenty years on, you can download them.

Listen first

One album A$9.95. With any order of A$25 or more, add one for A$5 or both for A$8.

Prices in

Fields of Green and Oceans of Blue CD cases with their discs

Backing the Sacred Seed Oracle on Kickstarter? Both albums are free with Buy One Gift One and every reward above it, and a A$10 add-on for any other pledge.

See the Kickstarter

Made so people could hold it

In 2003 Paul had spent seven years working on a mouldable hemp material. It was patented and ready, but plastic made from a plant is a hard thing to explain, so he made something people could pick up: a CD whose tray was pressed from hemp plastic, with an insert printed on tree-free hemp card, and on it a didgeridoo made out of hemp fibre.

The Byron Shire Echo ran it under the headline "Making plastic out of hemp". Fields of Green launched at the Byron Bay Community Centre Indigenous shop on 22 August 2003, with Gumaroy playing live and ten percent of profits going back into hemp plastic research. The hemp plastic company that grew from that work is still going: The Hemp Plastic Company.

Oceans of Blue followed a year later: a full hour of unbroken calm, made with Tarshito, with sitar and saxophone alongside the didge and harp.

The didgeridoo on these recordings is one Paul played himself, pressed from hemp fibre. As far as anyone knows, it was the first.

The original CD case open, showing the hemp plastic tray — The tray: hemp plastic, 2003. Brown because nothing was added to hide the fibre.

Byron Shire Echo article from 19 August 2003: Making plastic out of hemp — Byron Shire Echo, 19 August 2003. Open the picture to read it.

The albums

Press play on any track for a 45 second preview. Buy one, or both together for A$14.95.

2003 · 18 minutes · 8 tracks

Fields of Green

Music for relaxation and wellbeing

Harp, flute and didgeridoo recorded in the hills behind Byron Bay. Breathe and relax to the didge, float along the waves of the harp, be carried by gentle guitar and let your heart open with angelic voices.

1Heart Space1:44
2Hemp Didge Landscape3:10
3Angel's Grace5:13
4100% Hemp1:31
5Gumaroy's Didge0:27
6Ocean's Destiny2:20
7Wise Owl1:50
8Child's Play1:23

Press play for a 45 second preview of any track.

Adding cards, oil or books worth A$25 or more? Then the music is an add-on: A$5 for one album or A$8 for both.

The story, the musicians and every track

2004 · 60 minutes · 7 tracks

Oceans of Blue

Music for relaxation

Seven long pieces, exactly sixty minutes. Didgeridoo, harp, gentle guitar, sitar, saxophone and voice, made for massage tables, yoga rooms and the hour before sleep.

1Red Earth8:00
2Harmony7:48
3Shining Son8:53
4Fields of Green8:30
5Oceans of Blue7:30
6Indigo Eye9:58
7Here and Now9:11

Press play for a 45 second preview of any track.

Adding cards, oil or books worth A$25 or more? Then the music is an add-on: A$5 for one album or A$8 for both.

The story, the musicians and every track

The people on the records

Local musicians from the Byron hinterland, recorded outdoors as often as in. Produced by Paul Benhaim with Tarshito.

**Gumaroy and Paul**
Gumaroy on the hemp didge, Paul with the first CD, in the creek behind the studio. Photo: Jeff "High Fibre" Dawson.

**Rob Neil**
Harp, with guitar, recorded on the rocks by the water. Rob's harp runs through both albums.

**Paul Benhaim**
Producer, and the 100% hemp didgeridoo. Paul had spent seven years developing the hemp material the CD tray was made from.

**Seven hemp didges**
The instruments themselves: didgeridoos pressed from hemp fibre, each one with its own voice.

Fields of Green

Produced by Paul Benhaim and Tarshito
Rob Neil: harp
Si Mullumby: didgeridoo
Gumaroy: didgeridoo (guest artist)
Paul Benhaim: 100% hemp didgeridoo
Flute, guitar and voices by the Fields of Green session musicians

Oceans of Blue

Produced by Paul Benhaim and Tarshito
Tarshito: composition, guitar, sitar and keys
Featuring Chris James
Didgeridoo, harp, saxophone and voices by the Oceans of Blue session musicians

Good with the cards

An hour of Oceans of Blue is what a slow oracle reading wants in the background, and Fields of Green suits a game night that is winding down. Add the music to any order of cards, BCP oil or books worth A$25 or more and it is A$5 for one album, A$8 for both.

Sacred Seed Oracle, A$59 Hemp Playing Cards, A$20

A hemp didgeridoo with hand drums and percussion

Questions

Something else? Send us a message.