Juhan Ongbrian Discusses the Five Tracks on His Jazz-Fusion EP ‘Mood Swings’

Fans of fusion bands the likes of Vulfpeck and Theon Cross, take note! There’s a relatively new cat in town and he goes by the name Juhan Ongbrian. The Los Angeles-based purveyor of formidable jazz-fusion unveiled his Mood Swings EP on November 15th and it is, to recycle poignant words we recently heard, “an absolute head-bobber.”

The album was initially teased on October 25th by the lead single and title track, “Mood Swings,” which was met with (and continues to receive) positive critical response. Ever since, the band—which consists of lead guitarist Juhan Ongbrian, bassist Sly Chong, and drummer Ech0—have been showing off their jazz, blues, and ambient beat combination anywhere and anytime they can. Mood Swings was produced and mixed by Ongbrian himself (except for the “Mood Swings” single which was mixed by Brian Malouf), mastered at Sterling Sounds by Joe LaPorta, engineered by Larry Goetz, and recorded at Culver City, California’s The Lair Recording.

Today, further supporting this incredible, must-hear five-track fusion fest, Juhan Ongbrian joins us for a snazzy track-by-track rundown of the terrific tunes on his creative concoction. Dig it!

1. “Mood Swings” (feat. Ech0 & Sly Chong)
“Single track – A good friend of mine told me that I have mood swings (bipolar, etc.). I don’t disagree with him. This track has some swings and the vibe changes from one section to another. Hence it’s perfect to be called that.”

2. “Wooza (feat. Ech0 & Sly Chong)”
“This track has such a different vibe than the other tracks on the EP. It’s very short and straightforward with a heavy driven guitar. It was initially called ‘Wowza’, but ‘Wooza’ has more oomph to it.”

3. “Moving On”
“This is my most favorite track, personally. I wrote this to remind me that I have to move on from the old things that were pulling me back; lover, experiences, trauma, bad thoughts, and anxieties. This track has a darker / mellower vibe, but I feel most calm listening to it.”

4. “Limelight”
“This track has an upbeat fun vibe to it, kind of reminds me of EDM. People might relate to this track more since it’s bouncier and happier. I feel that this track is conveying stories from one section to another.”

5. “Morten”
“This track is the last track in the EP. It has an ‘alien’ and experimental vibe and the composition helps a lot by conveying stories that are moving progressively from one section to another. I feel that this track is perfect to end this EP and opening up different sounds for the upcoming LP. Morten means ‘Death’ or ‘Martian.’”

Artwork for “Mood Swings” by Juhan Ongbrian