Three Remixes for "Tourner la Page"

If her music career does not pan out, Zaho would have every right to feel beleaguered. Any person out of work feels despair. But to label this fictional downfall "the end of a career in media" seems drastic; alternatives do exist. The Algerian born, French pop star (and Fedora wearing Sean Paul collaborator) is a singer by trade. But if Zaho so desires, she could  hold her own as a television presenter. At first glance "Tourner la Page" could be mistaken for a high end nature documentary. Second glances might conjure the possibility of a D12 retrospective. Third glances, just about when the tide begins flowing backwards, beg the question, "Is this the subtlest Laibach reference in history?"

At any rate, life is life, Zoha's on screen presence has range, and the song that follows is love a ballad. The second single off the 2012 album Contagiuese, "Tourner La Page" is full of the vocal runs and emotive pleas typical in radio friednly fare. Which is not to say, though, that lyrical gems such as "Drunk like a poet, free like a bird / I keep loneliness company" should be overlooked. Yet what is most intriguing about the song is its sparing arrangement. As if to signal that the narrator has finally overcome her challenge, drums, guitar and bass are incorporated only during the final chorus. Prior to this, "Tourner la Page" is simply Zoha's voice and a piano, making it a prime remix candidate.



Despite its questionable relevance - having been released as a single one year ago - a sudden surge in interest has befallen "Tourner la Page." Adolescent beat-maker, and name stylization enthusiast, dj kingFoOxx evidently starting this trend a month ago. This version maintains the song's original order but is not interested in perpetuating original intent. What follows is very much a full-length re-imagination as a dance song; as heard in the selection of a snare drum that unfortunately competes with Zoha. The claps which begin the song, which unfortunately do not return, are joined by a vocal sample that provides syncopation throughout. A danceable rhythm overall, the song in and of itself does not suffer the same affliction from merely being juxtaposed over a kuduro beat. It is, however, a remix that undeniably fits the dj kingfOxx canon.

Precedent having been established, another remix of "Tourner la Page" appeared a week ago courtesy of MixBwé. Much to the contrast of kingfoOxx's interpretation, the AVP producer opts for a different approach. Aside from less aggressive tempo - MixBwé's genre of choice being zouk - the vocals are eliminated. Instead, the bass carries the song. What follows is instrumental track, a re-creation, that replaces the instrumentation (or in the case of the guitar, provides a variant) with genre specific choices. The original melody, its only tie to the original, is never sacrificed in this noble effort.



Like a John Ritter sitcom, the number three provides a sense of completion. And with the song below, Tixa Pro's DJ Wayne provides the third, and as of present, final Portuguese release of "Tourner la Page." Bearing a similarity the kingfoOxx's track, Wayne opts for a kuduro remix. This track, too, buys the original structure wholesale. But in working alongside remix artist JuzicyBeatz, Wayne takes advantage the sound void to an alarming degree. Percussive elements do not demand the spotlight -  the pair opting to vary the drums and eventually incorporating claps. Instead every sample possible, from marimba to airhorn, is recruited for decorative purposes.

 
- John Noggle