Conny Ochs " "Wahn und Sinn"

It's been four years since "Doom Folk" . The world has gotten weirder since then, so Och's German album makes perfect sense. Musically it's more orchestral than I expected. Guitars do not kick up until midway into the opening track. German is a harsh guttural tongue so does not always lend itself to melody. This awkward phrasing can be heard glaringly well/to a spacious mix that places his vocals at the forefront. There is a slight country feel to the lazy saunter of "Ding" which finds them going in a more nuanced almost ballad like direction. The German is mostly forgiven on this walk

"Hickhack' finds things moving in a much darker direction. The guitars creep like they are getting warmed up for Halloween in their slithering groove. If the vocals were different I could hear this being a Peter Murphy song. Though not bass heavy enough to compare it to Bauhaus. At times this album reminds you of the narrow sonic space between country music and folk, though this time around it ponders it with a cloudy moodiness. More melancholy than dark, There are atmospheric interludes on this album that work when you are listening to the album from front to back. Which given the German lyrics make this album more of something to fade in the background as a soundtrack rather than a focal point of your attention. 

"Melancholia" finds this moving into more of a neo-folk direction. His mellow baritone works well for German, and the tension this song brings is chilling. Does not hook you in but is effective in the mood it creates which can be said for the album as a whole. "Lumos" works of a more primal atmosphere that lays the groundwork for his more plaintive melody. It might not be the album's strongest song, but the intent is appreciated. I will give this album a 9, as his talents and honesty are hard to deny.