Hamilton, ON-based band Junestone have dropped their highly anticipated new full-length album, FIRST TRY, featuring the lead single “BRIDGE!” The song and album showcase a fearless leap into a world of genre-defying sounds, blending elements of funk, fusion, and rock with themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and embracing life’s transitions.
“BRIDGE!” serves as an energetic anthem for overcoming self-doubt, while the album delivers a dynamic exploration of personal growth and transformation, capturing the essence of moving forward in a turbulent world. Musically, the track embraces elements of jazz fusion, funk rock, and psychedelia, blending improvisation with meticulously crafted moments. “BRIDGE!,” filled with a punchy bassline and dramatic spoken word over a complex musical backdrop, is one of the standout moments on FIRST TRY, a record that captures evolution and Junestone‘s deep connection to one another.
What can you share with readers about your new project?
FIRST TRY is here !!! 
How does this release compare with your other projects you had in the past?
We released 9 singles before we even started releasing singles from this album, FIRST TRY. It feels good to finally have A COLLECTION of songs! All of us in Junestone love listening to albums so it feels like we are part of the great album-making tradition now. These songs were mostly written and recorded within a 5-year window of each other, so it will be like a time capsule for us as we move into our next releases.
What about this single makes you most proud?
I am proud of the way we mixed it. A lot of this album, we mixed ourselves. BRIDGE! was mixed by Ian, the keyboard and piano player in Junestone. This recording in particular has dozens of instrumental layers so there was a lot to balance.
The poem in BRIDGE! I wrote on the 10-minute drive to Ian’s house for a mixing session. It felt like something had been missing from the actual bridge of the BRIDGE!, but none of us had known what to do next. The idea to add more lyrics to the song was very spontaneous. I am impressed that Ian could mix this poem over Justin’s drum solo, over the riff, AND over the original drum groove, all in a way that we love very much! Thank you to our friend Anthony from Music First Production for mastering this for us.
Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?
Yes. All of us in Junestone are career musicians, music students, and music teachers. Going into this, we all wanted to know more about how recording, mixing, mastering, and releasing music works. We feel that a life without learning new things is a bit boring. As music teachers, it feels good to be experienced in aspects of music outside of just playing instruments. We met our goal of learning new things!
In addition to this, I wanted to work on my courage with this release. It’s interesting because I don’t usually get stage fright anymore. When I’m on a stage, it feels right for me to be there, like I belong. When I’m off stage, however, I don’t always know where my thoughts and feelings start and end. I get shy about sharing my creative endeavors.
I believe that releasing music is a good way for me to practice courage because it moves me to share what I’m doing in ways I am less comfortable with. Like posting videos of myself or writing emails to strangers. I wonder, if we never practice speaking or sharing about what matters to us, will we be able to do it effectively when we really need to? I think the songs on this album are more relevant now in 2025 than ever because they are about processing grief, spiritual transformation, emotional understanding, and being brave. It would be so wild not to release them!
What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?
I am inspired to create music in daily life. I have always felt moved to share my experiences even if they are simple or small. I find it is often simple and small things that move us away from moments of pain and into moments of peace or meaning anyway. Simple things like having a cup of coffee, looking at a flower, or listening to a good song. A good song can make you feel like you are being heard even when you’re not the one singing it. Searching for music that feels this way to me is very motivating. Songs like this make me want to get up in the morning and listen again.
Playing music makes me feel human and connected to my surroundings. When no one is around, playing music helps me to still feel connected. The satisfaction of experiencing and creating sound makes me want to get up again tomorrow too and the joy of playing music with other people is my ultimate motivation to practice!
Even when my body is tired or I feel sad, I am grateful that music is there in all of these moments. I would say that playing the bass is the number one thing that inspires me to create and motivates me to keep going. Finally, I am motivated to perform and release music by the people who I meet and see in my life each week. I appreciate the perspectives you share with me.
If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.
I would like to write a song with Tyler the Creator. I mean, he is very straightforward and creative all at once. His music is genuine but he also has a great sense of humor and I appreciate that. Emotionally, I believe his music is very impactful for a lot of people because he is open to exploring many ways to feel within just a single song. You can tell that he loves many styles of music. You can also listen to his music and lyrics again and again and get something new each time.
I would also love to collaborate with Dan from Caribou. I think it’s really interesting that he’s from Dundas and we’re from Hamilton. Everything he has put out that I have heard so far I love! I admire is skill at blending contrasting tones, textures, and samples seamlessly. It’s always a beautiful collision of electronic sounds and human sounds. His music is also overwhelmingly uplifting and positive, even when it does touch on heavier subjects. I feel very peaceful when I’m listening to Caribou. I think it would be so cool to write music together!
What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?
The last song I listened to was Aspirations by Gentle Giant. About to play the Innervisions album by Stevie Wonder right now! Some of my favourite all-time bands and artists are… Thelonious Monk, The Meters, Pixies, Billie Holiday, Caribou, Little Dragon, Erykah Badu, King Crimson. Lately, I have been loving Patrice Rushen and Joni Mitchell.
Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?
Probably Instagram and YouTube. We still use Facebook. You can always just go to our website junestone.io and send us emails too. That’s a very classic way to reach us.
I really appreciate your time. Is there anything you’d like to share before we sign off?
I think one of the kindest things you can do for anyone, is to spend a moment of your day listening to them. So thank you for listening! I appreciate it. Best wishes wherever your day takes you next.
