Last summer Montreal artists Jai Nitai Lotus and Dr MaD finally got together on a collaboration titled “Speed of Thought.” One year later, the guys are back at it again with this new collaboration titled “Blue in the Water.”
“Blue in the Water” is a textured, soulful, gritty summer song, and it was inspired by all things related to the colour blue… and having the blues. There’s a distinct moodiness to this track, fused with blues-inspired sonic vibes, and a very fluid, water-like flow.
The song started off when Lotus and Dr MaD were in the studio together and Lotus played Dr MaD a blues song. Dr MaD immediately cut it up and gave Lotus a loop to work with. Lotus went home and started recording and building the track out over that simple loop. And from there it eventually became the track it is now. Listen to “Blue in the Water” below, and don’t miss our exclusive Q&A with Lotus.
“This song is blues-inspired and the colour blue is associated with having the blues. When I hear the song I see blue.” – Jai Nitai Lotus
Q&A: Jai Nitai Lotus
HipHopCanada: Start off by telling me the significance of this track to you on a personal level.
Jai Nitai Lotus: This song is a glimpse into the approach I’ve been taking on one of my solo projects that I’ve been working on. So it’s bringing forth a new sound which is always exciting when you’ve been making music for a long time. “Water is life”, so that inspired the direction of the lyrics – it’s all encompassing. The bad, the good it’s all in here.
HipHopCanada: Explain the title “Blue in the Water.”
Jai Nitai Lotus: This song is blues-inspired and the colour blue is associated with having the blues. When I hear the song I see blue.
HipHopCanada: It’s been about a year since your first collaboration together with Dr MaD. What’s the story behind how this collaboration came about?
Jai Nitai Lotus: Dr MaD and I were in the studio. I played him this blues song that I was bugging over and he immediately started cutting it up. I went home with the simple loop he had made and started recording and building a structure in my head. I came back with the vocals and some structure ideas. I knew I wanted the music to get more modern during my rap verse, and Dr MaD made that happen like a pro. We share a lot when it comes to music and production. We talk about Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, J Dilla and legends like that. Lots of music talk. So the chemistry is tight between us.
HipHopCanada: I feel like in many ways this track is a continuation of “Speed Of Thought.” It’s a summer-in-Montreal kind of track, released one year later. And on a sonic level, you can hear the 2017 influences on the song, compared to the 2016 influences on “Speed Of Thought” – both in terms of production and flow + delivery.
Jai Nitai Lotus: It’s really about choosing what direction you want to go. There are a lot of things that can affect your process of making music. What the beat is asking for, or what kinda mood you’re in, what you’ve been dealing with in your life. One of the biggest factors in sample-based music is the song in which you sample.
HipHopCanada: I really like how the two of you seem to be able to create this new kind of musical “texture.” It’s a mix of soul and funky with really unexpected melodies and drum lines. Slightly gritty, yet also incredibly smooth. Which is why I can only really describe it as a “texture.”
Jai Nitai Lotus: That’s the magic. I think it goes back to good chemistry, knowing what you want and how to do it.
HipHopCanada: Tell me the story behind the cover art for this one.
Jai Nitai Lotus: Dr MaD snapped this picture in 2016. He was at a block party in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he said he felt like he was in 1993. I put some fonts and texture to it and it became what you see.
Written by Sarah Jay for HipHopCanada
