Junction 28’s new single “Last Embrace” marks a bold sonic evolution—fusing breakcore, metal, and raw emotion. We spoke with the band about grief, growth, and redefining their creative boundaries.
1. “Last
Embrace” feels like a major creative leap for Junction 28. Can you walk us
through how the song evolved from Kit’s initial demo into this powerful
full-band statement?
We have a pretty robust writing process by now. Normally me (Kit) and our
singer, Craig will put together the basic structure. From there, I'll work with
each member individually, crafting parts around their own styles and choices,
before putting everything together at the end. I like personally to be hands on
with every part of the process, but I think it's important to our sound to make
sure everyone has room to express themselves.
2. You blend drum and bass, metal riffs, and sweeping synths in the track —
what were some of the biggest musical influences or inspirations behind this
particular sound?
I've been listening to a lot of breakcore and digital hardcore recently,
artists like Machine Girl, Cynthoni and Tokyopill to name a few, and I really
wanted start bringing some of those elements into our sound. "Last
Embrace" is really just our first attempt, I still think there is way more
scope to expand and experiment with this sound in more interesting ways.
3. Lyrically, the song explores themes of hope, loss, and unity. Was there a
specific moment or experience that sparked these ideas for you?
Both myself and Craig went through personal losses in 2024. There's always a
part of me that wants to give in to my worse instincts during those kinds of
experiences, to disconnect and disassociate, to distance myself. The song is a
reminder to do the opposite, to keep the important people in your life close.
There's no other way through.
4. Craig, we heard you made some significant lyrical changes right during the final vocal recording session. What inspired those last-minute decisions?
We just didn't have something we felt confident in. Going into the studio there was still a sense that we had settled for a compromise rather found something that really worked. We've made these kinds of last minute changes before but never at this scale, but it's nessecary to make sure the final product is something we can be proud of.
5. Kit, you’ve stuck to a no-laptop, no-automation ethos with your synth
work. What challenges — or freedoms — does that approach give you in a track
like “Last Embrace”?
I think it's a very personal approach, I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone
else, it makes things more difficult in a lot of ways. I don't have anything
against backing tracks, or artists that use them, and a lot of the time I envy
them. This is just the way our style has evolved naturally, and I believe the
best way for us to put out music that feels truly our own to us is to find
approaches that resonate with us personally, even if those approaches are not
the most efficient or sensible. Creatively isn't about exactness or min/maxing.
6. Tico joined the band more recently — how did his background in grunge and
classic rock impact the rhythm and feel of this track?
It definitely brings in another angle for us to work from. Tico has a very
strong creative voice, he's not someone who just follows parts I've written, he
wants to put his own spin on it. The live drums I originally wrote were
straight-forward emulations of drum and bass parts, but Tico has taken that and
incorporated his own style in a much more unique way.
7. Let’s talk about the video — filming in the haunted sea fort looked
intense! What was that experience like, both creatively and physically?
Exhaustng as I'm sure you can imagine! There's a picture we took right at the
end, when the shoot was over and we were still waiting for the tide to go back
out, we all look like ghosts or drug addicts haha. We're never going to release
that but I think it's a perfect snapshot of how tired we were by the end. It's
all worth it though, we all think it's easily the best video we've done.
8. The concept of “found family” and holding onto your people during chaos
really stands out in the lyrics. Why was that an important message for you
right now?
It relates back to what I said earlier. Having people there with you when
things are bleak is the best way of getting through it, to protect and care for
each other. With Junction 28 we are our own little family, we look out for each
other and care for each other. It's more than just a band, and we want the
people to feel included in that when they listen to us.
9. Junction 28’s sound has clearly evolved from your earlier releases. How
do you see your musical identity now compared to the Before You Drown or Echoes
era?
I think we're a lot more confident in ourselves now. Those earlier releases
felt a lot more like we were exploring new territory, not just about finding
our sound but also creating a base that can be built on. I love artists that
can shift in style release to release, song to song. I really wanted to lay the
groundwork for a group that could do that effectively, that could navigate
between styles without being tied down. I want our fans to feel like we could
be capable of anything.
10. The band’s name symbolizes connection — how does that theme still resonate with you in 2025 as your sound and lineup continue to grow?
Again it goes back to this being our own little family. This whole project was based on our connections, our commonalities and the things that bring us together. It started off as this geographical location we all had in common, but it's evolved into something beyond that.
11. “Last Embrace” is the first of several tracks planned for this year. Can
you give us a hint of what’s coming next in terms of sound or themes?
We're going to be pretty tight lipped with that, but I can say we will always
try to push ourselves in unexpected ways.
12. Finally, with everything you’ve achieved so far, what does success look
like for Junction 28 moving forward — both creatively and as a band?
We just want to keep building, we'd love to play bigger shows, festivals, just
go out and see as many people as possible. From there who knows, I think the
future is more interesting when you don't try to predict it.
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