Jonny Ong is a man of intrigue. Melding his Singaporean roots with Westernised song structures and psychedelic influences, Ong is unlike anything else on the musical horizon right now.
Nowhere is this more apparent than on latest release, ‘Chloe’. A venomous tale of betrayal, Ong uses the metaphor of a snake to compare an old friend to the cunning and backstabbing motif of a serpent. The song is snakelike as well in its intrigue and psychedelic nature, sliding along a smooth vocal line before biting you in the neck during the onslaught of the acid freakout in the middle 8.Â
A treat for the full version of the song alone, the middle 8 incorporates a wash of psychedelic synths and neo-soul influenced trumpets to complete the circle of Jonny Ong’s melting pot of sounds and styles. It elevates the song to something truly special, and even without this section, the song is a feast for the ears – from Ong’s powerful and stark vocal to the smooth jazz-rock of the accompaniment.
‘Chloe’ comes hot on the heels of previous critically acclaimed singles ‘Isolation’ and ‘Fools’, which see him reviving the psychedelic genre with innovative techniques, arrangements and writing styles.
