FOCUS: 28 Breax.

Prolific artist 28 Breax. prepares to release his new album, entitled II, this month, we caught up with him to find out more about his creative processes and what listeners can expect…

Who are you and where are you from?

I’m Jonny to my family and friends, but my act is 28 Breax. I’m originally from Leicestershire, but I’ve lived in the North East for 18 years now.

What is it you do?

I’m a DJ/producer, mostly of hip-hop, house, techno and trance. I use the monikers 28 Breax. for hip-hop and J Haseldine for all things dance, including a regular show I produce for Room Radio on YouTube.

How long have you been doing it?

I’ve been writing music for as long as I can remember! As a child I would write my own tunes on a toy piano and I never got sick of it, eventually moving up to a full size keyboard. I used to write lyrics too, but I grew out of that after realising I didn’t actually possess the true talent for it. I got into computer music in my teens and never looked back. I also played keyboard in a funk rock band called Jean Cloud and the Von Dames for a while some years ago, gigging on the Newcastle scene, being lucky enough to play at The Cluny.

What inspires you?

I usually find inspiration for music away from it. Sometimes I can find it in a nice cliché, like a walk in the woods or at the coast. Other times I’ll find it in a movie or TV show. When I do feel inspired by music, it’s often by genres that I don’t produce.

Tell us about your music

Most of my work is instrumental. I like songs to sing along to just as much as the next person, but I never understood anyone that didn’t like tracks without lyrics. You can say just as much with sounds as you can with words.

What have you got coming up in the future?

I have a new album releasing on 1^st July, streaming on all the usual suspects as well as being available on Bandcamp. I produced it at the beginning of the year, while recovering from surgery, and my good friend and collaborator, MP Wood mastered it for me at Studio 13 in Newcastle. It’s simply named ‘II’.

Where can people find out more about you?

I do have old works online at all the major streaming sites (iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, etc.), they can be searched under either act name. I am also on social media for those interested in that kind of thing: Facebook – J Haseldine, Twitter – @28breax, Instagram – @nevesembarrassingdad