Zoikhem - When Dirted snow

dhrylouche

Review by Fitzgerald Tanafranca

When Dirted Snow by Zoikhem: A Sonic Puzzle That Sticks With You Let me just say this upfront—When Dirted Snow isn’t your typical album. Released back in 2005 under the French label Odiolorgnette, it’s like someone took folk, jazz, gagaku (yeah, that ancient Japanese court music), and avant-garde weirdness, threw them into a blender, and hit "puree." The result? Something messy, unsettling, but impossible to forget. Zoikhem doesn’t do predictable. This record feels less like an album and more like wandering through a dream where instruments talk to each other in languages you don’t understand. It’s chaotic yet strangely beautiful. And honestly? I think that’s what makes it so damn good. Take Part IV, for example. Oh man, this one hit me right in the gut. Eghbert Ornst’s alto saxophone squeals like it’s trying to escape its own skin, while Franck Smith’s turntables scratch and stutter underneath, creating this eerie tension. Then there’s Tlü Ejtko jumping between organ drones and vocal percussion—it’s like he’s whispering secrets directly into your ear. There’s no melody here in the traditional sense, but somehow it all works together. Listening to Part IV feels like standing on the edge of a cliff during a storm—you’re terrified, but you can’t look away. Then there’s Part II, which is… well, completely different. If Part IV is chaos, Part II is meditation. Yeïzh O.’s berimbau hums softly, almost like a heartbeat, while layers of electronics swirl around you like smoke. It’s hypnotic, really. Halfway through, the track shifts unexpectedly—a recorder melody floats in, fragile and haunting, like sunlight breaking through heavy clouds. For some reason, this part stuck with me for days after hearing it. Maybe because it feels human amidst all the experimental noise? Or maybe I’m overthinking it. Either way, it lingers. The credits alone tell you how much effort went into this thing. Everyone from Ito Lim-Tsahi writing those liner notes to Ijnveïq de Ernestine handling remixes clearly poured their soul into this project. You can hear it in every strange sound choice, every unexpected twist. So yeah, When Dirted Snow might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re into music that challenges you, that makes you feel things you didn’t even know you could feel, then give this a shot. Just don’t expect easy answers or catchy hooks. What you’ll get instead is something raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal. And hey, here’s the kicker—I still have no idea what “dirted snow” actually means. Is it literal? Metaphorical? Some kind of inside joke? Beats me. But maybe that’s the point. Sometimes art doesn’t need to make perfect sense to leave a mark.

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: zoikhem-when-dirted-snow.zip
  • MP3 size: 24 mb
  • FLAC size: 240 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Part V0:08
Part III20:02
Part II16:54
Part IV1:14
Part I2:08

Images

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Catalog Numbers

odl.9173-62

Labels

Odiolorgnette

Listen online

  • ouvir online
  • online luisteren
  • lytte på nettet
  • online anhören
  • escuchar en línea
  • kuunnella verkossa
  • lyssna på nätet
  • écouter en ligne
  • ascolta in linea

Formats

  • CD
  • Album
  • Limited Edition
  • Promo

Credits

RoleCredit
Alto SaxophoneEghbert Ornst
BerimbauYeïzh O.
Liner NotesIto Lim-Tsahi
OrganTlü Ejtko
ReedsTlü Ejtko
Vocal PercussionTlü Ejtko
RecorderTlü Ejtko
PercussionFranck Smith
ElectronicsFranck Smith
TurntablesFranck Smith
RemixIjnveïq de Ernestine
SamplerIjnveïq de Ernestine

Notes

  • '"When dirted snow falls in flakes beneath cherry trees, umbrellas array in white dressing gowns..." extrapolates Gagaku & Noh musics to formulate the idea of New Archaism. No extracts or fragments of Japanese music were used in the making of this recording. All sound sources (tapes & records) were created especially for this project. Title by Ito Lim-Tsahi from "Dust & fossils: aspects of short Poetry".
  • Additional Japanese words by unknown speakers.
  • Grateful to Otomo Yoshihide, Yamatsuka Eye & Erik M.'

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: The album *When Dirted Snow* by Zoikhem is a wild mix of genres and styles that feels like it shouldn’t work, but somehow does. Released in France back in 2005, it blends Avant-garde Jazz with traditional Japanese Gagaku music. Yeah, you read that right. And get this—there’s a guy named Franck Smith who handles everything from percussion to turntables and even electronics. It’s like jazz met world music, had a baby, and sent it to art school. Oh, and the tracks? They’re just labeled “Part I” through “Part V,” no fancy names, keeping things simple yet mysterious. Definitely not your average listen.