Jonny Ong's 'Don't Wake Me From This Dream' is Not to be Slept On

Jonny Ong conjures an acoustic reverie in 'Don't Wake Me From This Dream', his latest release.

Born in Singapore and based in London, the musician proves he grew up listening to 60s and 70s bands. This release is evidence of that, with markers of legends like The Who, Cream, and The Beatles. 

It's got guitar sequences you can swing to, funky piano keys, and near-smoky vocals; quite the mesmeric sound. It features a cornucopia of instruments including the Tamborine, trumpets, and tenor saxophone, among others. Being the multi-instrumentalist Ong is, the inclusion of instruments like the violin and cello gives it a classical touch.

George Willets bangs out a nice base foundation for the song on drums and Andy Wallace punches out poignantly on the piano. A wine-red Les Paul guitar joins forces with the lead vocalist, Jonny Ong, to bring out a simply spectacular synergy. It's a wonderful combination of catchy lyricism, expert instrumentation, and clean audio engineering. Starting out with a steady melody that builds up into a high point and down to a state of entropy, it's quite enthralling. 

'Don't Wake Me From This Dream' is about a man that's fabulously in love with a woman. It's concerned with an infatuation so immersive and intensely emotive that it seems like a dream. He says "I know you're just too perfect to be real", equating the lady with the stuff of dreams. Ong just can't wrap his head around how wonderful she is. Her mind-altering properties have him singing "I love your intoxication / you're my medication". It isn't a one-way affair either, for he boasts "you said you would never love me / yet your heart found me".

You really get to hear how genuine the sentiments are. The way the lyrics are gradually laid out, the integrity in the vocals; it's undeniable. While the rhythm can be lulling, you still get that punchy rock sound from the guitars and drums. The song is both vehement and soothing, just the way dreams are. 

'Don't Wake Me From This Dream' will stick to your subconscious, like it or not.

Gavin Mndawe

@Gavin Zilani Mndawe

Image: 'Don't Wake Me From This Dream' Official Single Cover