Black Happy
Conny Ochs hails from Germany and has been making music for over a decade now in different incarnations – bands, projects and as a solo artist. While local punters endorse and worship his efforts for a while it was the collaboration with Scott “Wino” Weinrich in 2011 and its fruitition in the album “Heavy Kingdom” (released in early 2012) that put the man on the international map and gained him attention outside these local circles while still maintaining his roots.
This attitude now leads into this new album “Black Happy” and as much as the title is nothing short of a hint to the atmosphere the man is able to create it speaks the undisputable truth: deeply rooted in the blackened parts of the human soul he carves a mixture of melancholy and catharsis into the rough edges of songs that come out so natural, so organic and sonically sparkling. While keeping his approach pure to the heart and the creation limited to just him and his guitar Conny Ochs reaches a stark authenticity that can only be worshipped. It draws you in, makes you a part of the music and leads to a deep admiration of the tunes. Or to cut it differently: how can one not relate to these songs?
The pure existence of music so immaculate in its creational proces means happiness. Happiness about the fact that there still is something under the surface and the ancient intention for music remains valid.
Conny Ochs draws himself near this most primordial creation of music – with a pristine commitment to his own emotionality. What is channelled into his music, tone and lyrics is nothing but the truth. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes nasty, sometimes nice, sometimes begging, sometimes proud, sometimes cheerful, sometimes bitter, sometimes lost, sometimes found.
Bound to a tradition and history of great acoustic craftmanship drawn over the American continent but not limited to that Conny explores the realms of what of your inner self can sonically be pictured once you are on your own and armed with a guitar and your voice. The path has been walked by many before but it doesn't make it a worn out road.
Just like the previous album “Raw Love Songs” and the Wino And Conny Ochs effort “Heavy Kingdom”, “Black Happy” was again engineered, mixed and mastered by Thommy Krawallo in Berlin in a pure analogue manner.
