Cory Wong: ‘Lost in the Wonder’

Guitarist, songwriter and producer Cory Wong brings absolute funk in his collaborations on ‘Lost in the Wonder’, his joyous latest studio album.

This is one of those albums that makes me glad I’m not a jazz purist. Tunes like these blend the best in modern ‘pop’ music that takes the listener through funk, jazz and a bit of rock.

One of the most impressive things about Lost in the Wonder is the collection of musicians Wong brings to the studio, including Taylor Hanson, Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day, Cody Fry, Yam Haus, Louis Cato, Ellis, Elysia Biro, Benny Sings, Theo Katzman, and Magic City Hippies.

What’s more, Wong will be out on tour with his own outfit through 2026, as well as headlining London’s O2 Arena on 8 July with Vulfpeck.

There is a real exuberance to Lost in the Wonder, with Wong’s guitar and song-writing chops shining through. Stay with Me is pure funk pop featuring vocals from Stephen Day and then along comes Day a few tracks later with Tongue Tied: rhythmically and melodically that fusion of funk and jazz which just makes you want to dance.

Not only are the songs great on Lost in the Wonder, but arrangements combine Wong’s guitar, electronics and live instruments in sympathetic combination, especially on tracks like The Big Payoff (lovely bass clarinet!) and the title track with vocals from Benny Sings.Wong says: “There are lots of sides to me as an artist. A lot of people know me as a guitar guy, or even more specifically, ‘rhythm guitar guy’. That’s an accurate description, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. I see the guitar as just one of the avenues for my music and creativity. It’s been an absolute joy to develop and form a signature sound as a guitarist, but a huge part of my artistry is in my production, writing, arranging, band-leading. I’ve worked on and honed those skills just as much as my guitar playing, so I wanted to make an album that really showcased that side of my creative expression. Does that mean there’s less guitar on this album than on others? No! It’s actually quite the opposite. I feel like some of my best guitar work is done on this album. There’s everything from my classic rhythm guitar sound to multiple layers of orchestrally arranged guitar to blistering solos when the music calls for it.”

This is an album to dance around the kitchen to. Lost in the Wonder is out on Roundwound Media on 3 February 2026.