Sounds like…

A drum along to various game music menus.

The review

I’ll try my hand at most music and Ongface presents a unique entry point to music. Ongface is the name of drummer William Ong. His music takes house, electronica and what I’d call classic video game arcade menu music and then he live drums over the top of it. The music is all his – but the electronic elements are there to allow the drums to thrive. This is all about the rhythm.

First things first, Ongface can drum beautifully. Be that on tricky percussive cymbals on the short but sweet ‘Path to nowhere’ or in more traditional stadium rock settings like ‘Main Menu’. The two tracks where Ongface really showcases his music prowess are on the catch arcade bliss of ‘Choose Your Fighter’ and ‘Ice Breaker’. The former has Ongface drum like an octopus over a simple riff whilst the latter has some huge chaotic drum rolls for showmanship. The closing track removes the drums and leaves us with a gentle tuned percussion outro.

All these songs showcase the drumming but as a cohesive unit, they don’t quite slot together easily. For example, one track stops as if the loop ended abruptly. They feel like ideas of mini riffs that have been left on repeat for 90 seconds. Whilst the drumming is technically very impressive, it’s the actual songwriting and song structure that needs a bit of TLC. It is exceptionally difficult to be a drummer first and foremost and not release a single that’s a five-minute drum solo that overwhelms and feels self-indulgent. Ongface avoids that with his brevity and he is on the right track with his unique mash-up. This offers a glimpse as to what will hopefully become a more refined format in the future.

Recommended track: Choose Your Fighter

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