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Stemming from the hippie trail in the late ‘60s, Kathmandu’s tourism scene includes many classic rock bands covering tracks.
DENVER, CO—Stemming from the hippie trail in the late ‘60s, Kathmandu’s tourism scene includes many classic rock bands covering tracks that made their way there from the San Francisco and Woodstock counterculture.
Musician SOHM got into the scene while growing up in Nepal and learning English through the likes of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath songs. He would perform with several cover bands there before relocating to the United States in 2008, living in Ohio, Florida, Chicago, and currently in Denver, Colorado.
The western scene was much different than Nepal, having strayed away from classic rock and amidst a post-punk and indie alternative renaissance. SOHM discovered contemporary folk artists such as Joanna Newsome and Devendra Banhart in that time, citing that era in music as a bigger influence than his upbringing.
“I came in with this older musical reference for me and then combined that with modern folk,” says SOHM. “I was just really mind blown because I had never heard these instruments being played in such a way when I heard American folk music and that's been my case for essentially everything culturally American--Delta blues, or Appalachian music, or folk music of that sort.”
SOHM’s self-titled debut holds similarities to midwest math rock complexities, his love for Americana folk, polyethnic rhythms contrasting baroque-style patterns, and segueing into pop-rock ukulele and synthesizers. His vocals lean a bit into stream-of-consciousness but talk about personal experiences in the singer’s life with observationalist and existentialist thinking.
“If you listen to the album, it's always me attempting to kind of be in people's mind when they're in situations or when they're making observations,” says SOHM, speaking about tracks on Sohm such as “Red Tree”—posing the question of sentient life in perennial plants—to “Oh Ma”—an ode to missing home.
“It’s relatable thoughts that we've [all] had in different spaces. It could be in Nepal, you can be in the States, you can be pretty much anywhere. All of my songs are my attempt, in terms of the songwriting, to essentially go into different people's minds and try to figure out what they're feeling.”
Sohm currently has over 90,000 streams, while the musician is back in the studio using those skills to write a stand-alone song “Holding” expected to be released in 2023; he’s looking to experiment more with his music, leaning even more into his metal influences and potentially straying away from a pop sound. But while he looks to maintain his creative freedom, and taking his career as it goes, he also looks into himself with deep sincerity for the music he writes–as both an artist and a music fanatic. SOHM is currently assembling a live band to tour with. Stay tuned for the next city you’ll find him in–whether with a six-string guitar, or ukulele in hand.
Make sure to stay connected to SOHM on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
