Conny Ochs - Doom Folk (2019)

If you’re a follower of Roadburn Festival and all its charms, you’ll no doubt be familiar with Conny Ochs. The German singer-songwriter epitomises the ‘wandering nomad’ rockstar image of a hardened traveller with an acoustic slung across his back as he ventures from town to town playing bars and clubs to make ends meet. The difference, of course, is that he actually exists and is bloody good at his craft. His latest album, Doom Folk, is the fourth in his solo repertoire and sixth overall when you include his two collaborative records with Scott ’Wino’ Weinrich, and is released in the middle of February via Exile On Mainstream Records.

As one might expect, this is not a heavy record in the conventional sense; to call it metal would be wholly incorrect. But the ability Ochs has to make every track a hefty affair in its own right is startling. Firstly, this isn’t straight up folk music – there’s blues licks, the odd country edge and the inclusion of instruments not usually attributed to either the man or the genre, such as drums, bass and organs; lead single Dark Tower even has more than a hint of grunge alongside its catchy chorus, which is rather apt given that it pays tribute to the tragic passing of Chris Cornell. It’s this emotional pull in the lyrical content that is another major factor in the weight of the album, with Ochs exploring the avenues of fervour and vulnerability across the forty minutes of music that comprises Doom Folk. The likes of Moon, a mournful lament about a past lover and the melancholic tones of King of the Dead – which also incorporates a lush harmonica interlude – are prime examples of Ochs’ talent at putting pen to paper and will pull on heartstrings and stir reflections of the most vivid order.

The other big point of this album is Ochs’ vocals, which float across the Doom Folk like the gentlest of summer breezes despite the solemn topics he sings about. It’s a calming, silky dichotomy that is so clear it makes you wonder whether Ochs might now be a Youtube ASMR sensation if he hadn’t become a musician, such is the effect it will have on the listener. Interestingly, it doesn’t matter what sort of music is going on underneath, his voice compliments them all, whether it’s the 1960’s-inspired strains of Hammer to Fit, the laid back funk that It’s All Too Bright brings to the table or the fuzzy, electric blues on Crawling. However, he reserves his best performance for New Ruins, a true delight to listen to and containing a huge chorus to boot.

If you’ve never come across Conny Ochs before, but enjoy the vibe of Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave and Johnny Flynn, you’ll get on well with him. Doom Folk is arguably his most rounded and accomplished work to date and it will have no trouble in drawing you in and keeping you enveloped for multiple listens.