We’re pretty big fans of Montreal based musicians Forever and Mind Bath. In fact, we’ve spoken to both of them (separately) before: which is why you might recognise their names and, indeed, their unique, intelligent sounds. Still, as much as we like them apart, they’re even better together as duo Cafe Lanai. Their latest releases “Denim Jacket” (complete with tripped out visuals) and “HERE 4 U” serve up the kind of spectral, gorgeous music you can lean back and get lost in. Perfect for a Monday afternoon, then. Oh, and if you were expecting these two to be any less unique in person…you would be wrong. Read on as Forever and Mind Bath talk collaboration, skinny dipping, and sex appeal.
Forever – We both just took a little escape from city life – how was it for you?
Mind Bath – Life saving nature medicine
F – Did you swim in a body of water?
MB – I swam in a lake, I swam in a river, I remembered what it feels like to float – missed you!
F – I swam in the ocean, I win
MB – Were you naked?
F – Duh
MB – Pics?
F – Only memories
MB – I didn’t bring my camera. For once
F – I feel totally refreshed and inspired
MB – Me too!
F – Any ideas for your next record? TELL ME EVERYTHING
MB – A million. I’m ready to start singing on it. I hear there’s a track feat. Forever. We listened to Paradise by the lake btw. It was so nice.
F – !!!
MB – Hmmm inspiration. Voice leads this record. I just want to make something really beautiful. I just want to carve out a space to heal a heart and make you move. Mind Bath – the genre I guess.
F – Beautiful
MB – Forever has a band now
F – Getting it together. All girls of course
MB – Always
Forever – We’ve changed a lot since that first record we cut together, travelled half way across the country together, experienced heart break together. ‘Here 4 U’ was right after we both moved to Montreal, sharing a room on Bernard with Agor (Blue Hawaii). We were both aching so much, but ready for change
MB – I get lost in timelines. We’ve had a deep couple of years my friend. I remember my initial fascination with you clearly though. Asking you to open for me was maybe friendship phase 1. Yes?
F – NO DOUBT. Safe to say – if it wasn’t for you there might not be Forever. You’re my angel
MB – Blushing. Do tell..
F – The story goes – a young girl headed out west to find herself. I remember feeling so lost. I gave up making music altogether Until…you rang and asked me to open for you at a show. I wrote and produced a half hour of verrrrry experimental noise on a verrrrrry old laptop – and voilà Forever
MB – It was so alien! I loved it. I heard your voice
F – What do you think inspired us to collar? It didn’t take long, maybe a couple months after that first show together
MB – Well I think we both excited each other. I’d been waiting for that feeling. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think at the beginning I felt that I was a good singer lacking production skills and you felt at home composing electronic music but were hesitant vocally. Puzzle pieces. But then I loved your voice and you loved my beats and we supported each other…and you wanted to sleep with me.
F – Still want to. Skin xLarge always on me, just waiting for you to come around
MB – So there we were, an international sensation. Dancing around sexual tension in hawaii
F – My voice is feeling HOT these days. You sounded money the last Mind Bath show
MB – Thank you. Michael Jackson’s vocal warm up makes me all the way open. Wait…can you tell a story for me?
F – Yes
https://soundcloud.com/yourcafelanai/here-4-u-prod-blue-hawaii
MB – Where did ‘Lanai’ come from? How did we go from meeting every single day to spend our tips on espresso and burritos to creating and recording that song in one session?
F – Well it involved a couple of shamans in your apartment, a vomit bucket and serpent feminine energy DIVINE MYSTICAL FORCES at play. Main and 16th went beyond that night, we didn’t sleep, we just walked down Main to the studio.
MB – You looped that piano…
F – …and found that bass on that Moog
MB – When we found the siren tho…
F – THO
MB – Lanai was just a poem. The recording was my first time playing with it in the booth
F – One of those auspicious meant to be happenings
MB – On and on and on and on and on
F – Back to puzzle pieces, what do you think we each bring to the band?
MB – We had songs started that were great, but didn’t fit quite right solo – so we gave them to each other. You gave me ‘So’, I gave you ‘Girl Music’
F – We both have sex appeal obvi, especially me. I think our different passions outside music really influence our bond, your photos and my words
MB – Yes! Tbh outside of Cafe Lanai I see how very different we are. But I feel the project brings out a similar energy. Some kinda sibling thing
F – I dig. Cafe Lanai reminds me of the feeling I get escaping into nature – bliss
MB – Aw. ya. Before we talk about the new songs and video, what’s up with cafe lanai right now? What we doing? Is something cumming?
F –
Signature
Cock
Tail
No big deal, just a little EP we got planted in the ground
MB – What a name
F – When it’s right to harvest we’ll bear our fruits and finally have sex
MB – Looks like Forever and Mind Bath will continue to run away together for a min. AS FRIENDS. To tell their stories. Meet me in Hawaii to record “Signature Cock Tail” when it’s right honey
F – Groovy
MB – Apart from me, collaborating with anyone? I know we both like to. Love it when 2 become 1. Spoiler alert – I’m obsessed with your track with Neu Balance
F – Collabs are refreshing. I can get too precious with my solo career and I like gaining perspective outside my Forever world. I made a record with my boyfriend that is verrrry hot – Exit Somone – keep a look out 😉
MB – Forever vocals serving DISCO
F – I love being influenced, especially by all the GIRLS out there
MB – I’m too lone wolf as it is. Grateful to let the right people in
F – Working on a song with someone is intimate and seductive and always inspires, and when you get to share a release with someone – so special! Wanna say any last words on collabs?
MB – Yes. concerning nu Mind Bath: s/o Project Pablo, Ouri, Matthew Otto, Aiya, my luv Jorgie.
F – JORGIE
MB – nusongsnuvideo!
F – YAS QUEEN
MB – What’s up???? Denim Jacket? Anybody got any weed up in here? This one is so nostalgic to me and always a really nice moment in the live set
F – Oui! Everything is non-linear, the first song we wrote together released a few years late
MB – But right on time
F – Très oui oui
MB – Fav moment in the video?
F – Beardoncé – s/o Beardoncé
MB – We love a beardoncé moment. Life’s a drag
F – K lets wrap this bitch – spit or swallow?
MB – Swallow
F – Protein
MB – Zero protein. Looked it up
F – Damn
MB – Thank you for the last few years June,<3 may we grow and move slow
F – So glad we’re sisters. Find me on the beach bitch.