Metamorfoz
Encyclopedia
Metamorfoz is the renowned Turkish
pop singer Tarkan's sixth Turkish language
and seventh studio album, which was released on 25 December 2007 in Turkey
.
Seven of the songs were written by Tarkan, while three others are collaborations with composer Ozan Çolakoğlu
. The style and genre of the album is a brand new style, according to the official website, that would surprise fans and critics alike.
The album evoked mixed reviews in the Turkish media, according to some journalists this is his worst album, while others think that these reviews are part of a negative campaign, aiming to discredit Tarkan. Despite the bad criticism he had received, Metamorfoz sold 300,000 copies in the first week of its release, which, according to the Turkish music industry, gaining diamond certification
.
Metamorfoz was released in Europe
on February 1, 2008, by Urban (Universal Records
), in a few countries like Germany
and Austria
. The European release is an enhanced CD that includes the music video of Vay Anam Vay.
In 2008 Tarkan collaborated with Tiesto
and other Turkish DJs and released Metamorfoz Remixes with 13 new remixes from the original album.
album was Dudu
, in 2003. His first English language
work, Come Closer
did not bring satisfactory results when compared to the sales of his previous albums. It did not even reach gold sales, according to the list published by MÜ-YAP (Turkish Phonographic Institute). After the failure of Come Closer Tarkan decided to release a new, Turkish album and in the beginning of 2007 he declared that he was working on new songs. However, release dates were continuously being postponed. The Turkish daily Hürriyet
reported that the album would be released around Ramadan Fest
, the three-day celebration after the Islam
ic fasting month of Ramadan
. It was rumoured that the first single would be called Biraz Nezaket (A Little Courtesy), written by Sezen Aksu
. Tarkan denied this in an interview given at the Atatürk International Airport
in Istanbul
, declaring that release was delayed and the Sezen Aksu song was taken off the tracklist.
on December 25, 2007, one day after its announced release date, while it came out on February 1, 2008 in Europe. Seven of the songs were written by Tarkan, three are collaborations with producer-composer Ozan Çolakoğlu
. Metamorfoz means metamorphosis, transformation or change in English. The title indicates that musically Metamorfoz is different from Tarkan's previous works. The cover pictures Tarkan with unusually short hair, in a shiny grey suit, an image unfamiliar to his fans, which also justifies the title of the album. The cover features the title in Braille
dots for the visually impaired. In the first edition of the cover the Braille title was printed wrong and read Tarkaf instead of Tarkan. It was soon corrected and the cover reprinted.
The style of the album is a mix of heavy electropop with dance
and rock
; extensive use of samples, electric guitar
s thrown here and there, synthesizer
s and keyboards
. Oriental percussion and strings
sounds are given a minor role compared to his previous albums. Some journalist
s compared the style to that of Justin Timberlake
and Britney Spears
songs Toxic
and Piece of Me
, "mixed with some oriental sauce to make it slide easier".
songs, Bam Teli and Gün gibi are somewhat slower, while İstanbul Ağlıyor and Pare Pare are slow ballads.
The story of the songs were told by Tarkan himself in an interview for the magazine Yeni Aktüel.
(Türk Dil Kurumu), the president of the institute sent him a congratulation on his lyrics, appreciating how it cultivates the customs of the Turkish language
, using several unique idiom
s and sayings, showing a great example to young people in preserving their mother tongue. Ecevit Kılıç, the columinst of Sabah
newspaper called Tarkan the "Orhan Pamuk
of music", who follows his own ways no matter what, just like the Nobel
laurate writer. In the meantime, according to the daily Vatan
, Metamorfoz "exploded like a bomb" on the music market, having sold 300.000 hard copies, while there were 49.000 Tarkan-related downloads from TTNetMüzik within a week, an internet site as the only one, where Tarkan's songs can legally be downloaded free of charge in MP3
format by subscribers of the internet service provider
TTNet in Turkey.
The album has received mixed reviews from the Turkish media. Some journalists defended Tarkan saying that critics should be engaged in discussing his music rather than his dressing style, which characterized most of the publicism that appeared in connection with the release. Columnist Tuna Serim pointed out in one of her articles that there was a definite hunt for Tarkan news in the Turkish media, channels were ready to change their original schedules to feature Tarkan-related news, which are considered to be of primary importance. She also pointed out that the release of a music video is not given primary coverage in television news programmes in any country, while the release of "Vay Anam vay" was featured and discussed in the news programmes in Turkey. Cengiz Semercioğlu of Hürriyet
thinks that there is an "anti-Tarkan lobby" in the domestic press, which might have resulted from the fact that the singer keeps a certain distance from the yellow press, so whatever he does, the press is going to tear into pieces with criticism. In other journalists and critics' opinion this is the worst album he has ever made, repeats himself and there is nothing original in it. There was one critic who refused to comment on the album or even to listen to it. Others do not otherstand what other critics find unacceptable in the album.
Tolga Akyıldız, a popular columnist for Hürriyet, made a comment on Metamorfoz only two months after the release, saying that he wanted to wait until such daily slanders fade away like the claim that Tarkan "stole" his image from an artist of the Erol Köse label. Akyıldız declared that he "cannot stomach it any more". According to him the album is good, the songs are good but it would be high time that Tarkan were braver:
According to Hürriyet, the third most searched for words in the online dictionary of the Turkish Language Institute in January 2008 was "metamorfoz".
The first of foreign radios to air Metamorfoz was the Persian
Javan Radio in Washington, D.C.
, USA; because of demand from the audience.
. The album was published in a special format, which contains the music video of "Vay Anam Vay".
starring Cem Yılmaz
. The shooting lasted one day, the video was mainly made with bluescreen techniques. Tarkan's partner in the video is Liraz Dror. Vay Anam Vay went on air on January 15, 2008 in Turkey.
Just like the cover art, the music video of Vay Anam Vay is dominated by grey colors, which is only broken by the dark red color of the stage curtains. The video is without a storyline, Tarkan can be seen in several spots singing, with Liraz Dror in the background on a screen. First, he is seen in the middle of a virtual corridor in the same shiny grey suit he wears on the album cover. The second location is an attic, where he is sitting on a white sofa. Then he is dancing in an empty room, wearing black trousers, a black vest, sports shoes and a hat; as well as jeans, a leather coat and a yellow T-shirt with a Bruce Lee
motif on it. The fourth location is a virtual stage with dark red curtains, with a screen behind that features Liraz Dror.
in London
on April 13, 2008, where his special guest will be the Turkish nu metal band maNga
. As announced at his own official website, another international concert is scheduled on May 10 and 11, 2008 in Baku
, Azerbaijan
.
singer-showman, who is considered to be the "emperor" of arabesque music
, thinks that Metamorfoz is a "really fine album" and that critics are being unjust to Tarkan. He added that in Turkey "trees with fruits are stoned, and Tarkan's fruit yield is far too rich". Nil Karaibrahimgil
singer, in her article for Hürriyet condemned the criticism saying that in Turkey apparently the only important thing is to criticise an artist's appearance and sentences, to find mistakes and point fingers at someone they used to put on a pedestal.
The popular pop singer, Kayahan
, in an interview for Bugün newspaper said that these so-called critics usually don't know anything about music, and what's more they try to move Tarkan out of his place in the music market: "Takan sings well. I wonder those who are working on discrediting Tarkan, with what they want to replace him. They are being unfair to him. They should leave Tarkan alone!"
field, just as a storm is about to break out, with dark clouds in the background. He is wearing a shiny grey suit with a thin tie - an image that was highly criticized by the Turkish press. The title is printed in Braille
dots on the back of the cover.
The booklet itself reflects the initial grey-gold image of the cover. Inside the booklet, there are several photos of Tarkan with dark, stormy backgrounds; grey, black and dark golden-yellow colors dominate. In the middle of the booklet a small-size, poster-like two page photograph is placed, picturing Tarkan in his grey suit in a different standing position than on the cover. Besides the lyrics and the credits, a short note of acknowledgment is also included in the booklet.
Metamorfoz Remixes
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
pop singer Tarkan's sixth Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
and seventh studio album, which was released on 25 December 2007 in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Seven of the songs were written by Tarkan, while three others are collaborations with composer Ozan Çolakoğlu
Ozan Çolakoglu
Ozan Çolakoğlu is a Turkish composer, songwriter and music producer; famous for his work with pop idol Tarkan and his various film scores. He co-founded the production company Sarı Ev , but left it in 2010 to work for dB Müzik....
. The style and genre of the album is a brand new style, according to the official website, that would surprise fans and critics alike.
The album evoked mixed reviews in the Turkish media, according to some journalists this is his worst album, while others think that these reviews are part of a negative campaign, aiming to discredit Tarkan. Despite the bad criticism he had received, Metamorfoz sold 300,000 copies in the first week of its release, which, according to the Turkish music industry, gaining diamond certification
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
Metamorfoz was released in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on February 1, 2008, by Urban (Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
), in a few countries like Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. The European release is an enhanced CD that includes the music video of Vay Anam Vay.
In 2008 Tarkan collaborated with Tiesto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
and other Turkish DJs and released Metamorfoz Remixes with 13 new remixes from the original album.
Background
Tarkan's last Turkish languageTurkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
album was Dudu
Dudu (album)
Dudu is a 2003 studio album by Tarkan. This was his first album to be released through his own record label, HITT Music. It holds five songs and five remixes. The sales of album exceed 2.5 million copies worldwide, from which over 1 million were sold just in Turkey. To support album from November...
, in 2003. His first English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
work, Come Closer
Come Closer (album)
Come Closer is the debut English language album by Turkish pop singer Tarkan. It was released by Universal Records on April 7, 2006 in Europe and Central Asia. Tarkan began recording the album in 1997, following the success of his third Turkish release Ölürüm Sana that year...
did not bring satisfactory results when compared to the sales of his previous albums. It did not even reach gold sales, according to the list published by MÜ-YAP (Turkish Phonographic Institute). After the failure of Come Closer Tarkan decided to release a new, Turkish album and in the beginning of 2007 he declared that he was working on new songs. However, release dates were continuously being postponed. The Turkish daily Hürriyet
Hürriyet
-External links:* * ** * *...
reported that the album would be released around Ramadan Fest
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
, the three-day celebration after the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic fasting month of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. It was rumoured that the first single would be called Biraz Nezaket (A Little Courtesy), written by Sezen Aksu
Sezen Aksu
Sezen Aksu is a Turkish pop music singer, song-writer and producer who sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Her nicknames include the "Queen of Turkish Pop" and Minik Serçe ....
. Tarkan denied this in an interview given at the Atatürk International Airport
Atatürk International Airport
Atatürk International Airport is the major international airport in Istanbul, Turkey. Opened in 1924 and located in Yeşilköy, on the European side of the city, it is west of the city centre. In 1980, the airport was renamed to Atatürk International Airport in honor of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the...
in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, declaring that release was delayed and the Sezen Aksu song was taken off the tracklist.
Album
Metamorfoz was finally released in TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
on December 25, 2007, one day after its announced release date, while it came out on February 1, 2008 in Europe. Seven of the songs were written by Tarkan, three are collaborations with producer-composer Ozan Çolakoğlu
Ozan Çolakoglu
Ozan Çolakoğlu is a Turkish composer, songwriter and music producer; famous for his work with pop idol Tarkan and his various film scores. He co-founded the production company Sarı Ev , but left it in 2010 to work for dB Müzik....
. Metamorfoz means metamorphosis, transformation or change in English. The title indicates that musically Metamorfoz is different from Tarkan's previous works. The cover pictures Tarkan with unusually short hair, in a shiny grey suit, an image unfamiliar to his fans, which also justifies the title of the album. The cover features the title in Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
dots for the visually impaired. In the first edition of the cover the Braille title was printed wrong and read Tarkaf instead of Tarkan. It was soon corrected and the cover reprinted.
The style of the album is a mix of heavy electropop with dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
; extensive use of samples, electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s thrown here and there, synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. Oriental percussion and strings
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
sounds are given a minor role compared to his previous albums. Some journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s compared the style to that of Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
and Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
songs Toxic
Toxic (song)
"Toxic" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, co-written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, from her fourth album, In the Zone. It was released on January 12, 2004, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. After trying to choose between " Boom Boom" and "Outrageous" to...
and Piece of Me
Piece of Me
"Piece of Me" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her fifth studio album, Blackout. It was released on November 27, 2007 by Jive Records as the second single from the album...
, "mixed with some oriental sauce to make it slide easier".
Songs
From the songs Vay Anam Vay, Dilli Düdük, Arada Bir, Hop Hop, Çat Kapı and Dedikodu are faster danceDance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
songs, Bam Teli and Gün gibi are somewhat slower, while İstanbul Ağlıyor and Pare Pare are slow ballads.
The story of the songs were told by Tarkan himself in an interview for the magazine Yeni Aktüel.
- As told by Tarkan, Vay Anam Vay was born when he was working in the studio on another song. He wrote it in two hours and together with Çolakoğlu they found it so good that they decided to adjust the other songs to its style, removing nonconforming songs from the tracklist. Thus the album's "metamorphic" style was determined by Vay Anam Vay.
- Dilli Düdük was written one and a half years ago, when Tarkan went through a difficult period in his life. "I wrote it when again the fruits of my work were unjustly stoned and muddied. In the same period one of my colleagues became a victim of such unfair attacks, as well. This time I really got angry. I wrote this song for those who break people's heart without thinking first, who make a mountain out of a molehill with their words."
- Çat Kapı explains the singer's helplessness towards love, a feeling he has experienced multiple times. He makes a decision not to fall in love again, but then he cannot resist the feeling.
- The song Hop Hop has political tones. It describes how the states exploit the citizens for their own purposes, how today's political systems are good for nothing, since the world is full of violence, war, human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
are many times oppressed, we are a subject to global warmingGlobal warmingGlobal warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
and governments do little to save us. Tarkan explained in the interview that the song examines these problems and encourages people to unite, no matter what color our skin is or what religion we follow.
- Tarkan made the following comment on Pare Pare in Yeni Aktüel:
- Gün Gibi is the confession of a man in love, thanking love. It is "the happy song of the nightingaleNightingaleThe Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
that found his rose".
- İstanbul Ağliyor was written for those, who have already experienced the pain of separation and loneliness, so that they know they are not alone.
- Arada Bir is a self-evaluating song, a confession that shows how Tarkan had experienced so-called "double relationships", which - according to him - are part of mankind's nature: at first everyone only cares for their own self, searches their own truth, but in the end if we are able to understand we were wrong, we can restore balance in the relationship.
- Bam Teli is about the psychological games involved in human relationships, when people often hurt each other, sometimes leaving incurable wounds behind. In this song Tarkan advises not to get involved in such games, sometimes we should just keep silent, show understanding and acceptance of the other and leave things to time.
- Dedikodu is a song protesting against gossipGossipGossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
s. The singer asks his audience to believe in his art rather than listen to fame and money-hunting gossips and false news projected mainly by the media.
Reception
First week after its release, Metamorfoz sold 300.000 copies, and is still in high position on charts (as of January 2008). Besides, he was awarded with a special appreciation from the Turkish Language AssociationTurkish Language Association
The Turkish Language Association is the official regulatory body of the Turkish language, founded on July 12, 1932 and headquartered in Ankara, Turkey...
(Türk Dil Kurumu), the president of the institute sent him a congratulation on his lyrics, appreciating how it cultivates the customs of the Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
, using several unique idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
s and sayings, showing a great example to young people in preserving their mother tongue. Ecevit Kılıç, the columinst of Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
newspaper called Tarkan the "Orhan Pamuk
Orhan Pamuk
Ferit Orhan Pamuk , generally known simply as Orhan Pamuk, is a Turkish novelist. He is also the Robert Yik-Fong Tam Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University, where he teaches comparative literature and writing....
of music", who follows his own ways no matter what, just like the Nobel
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
laurate writer. In the meantime, according to the daily Vatan
Vatan
Vatan is a Turkish daily newspaper.A newspaper in Turkey founded in 2002, it is increasingly becoming one of the most popular.As of March 2011, Vatan newspaper had the 15th highest circulation in Turkey at 111,489....
, Metamorfoz "exploded like a bomb" on the music market, having sold 300.000 hard copies, while there were 49.000 Tarkan-related downloads from TTNetMüzik within a week, an internet site as the only one, where Tarkan's songs can legally be downloaded free of charge in MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
format by subscribers of the internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
TTNet in Turkey.
The album has received mixed reviews from the Turkish media. Some journalists defended Tarkan saying that critics should be engaged in discussing his music rather than his dressing style, which characterized most of the publicism that appeared in connection with the release. Columnist Tuna Serim pointed out in one of her articles that there was a definite hunt for Tarkan news in the Turkish media, channels were ready to change their original schedules to feature Tarkan-related news, which are considered to be of primary importance. She also pointed out that the release of a music video is not given primary coverage in television news programmes in any country, while the release of "Vay Anam vay" was featured and discussed in the news programmes in Turkey. Cengiz Semercioğlu of Hürriyet
Hürriyet
-External links:* * ** * *...
thinks that there is an "anti-Tarkan lobby" in the domestic press, which might have resulted from the fact that the singer keeps a certain distance from the yellow press, so whatever he does, the press is going to tear into pieces with criticism. In other journalists and critics' opinion this is the worst album he has ever made, repeats himself and there is nothing original in it. There was one critic who refused to comment on the album or even to listen to it. Others do not otherstand what other critics find unacceptable in the album.
Tolga Akyıldız, a popular columnist for Hürriyet, made a comment on Metamorfoz only two months after the release, saying that he wanted to wait until such daily slanders fade away like the claim that Tarkan "stole" his image from an artist of the Erol Köse label. Akyıldız declared that he "cannot stomach it any more". According to him the album is good, the songs are good but it would be high time that Tarkan were braver:
According to Hürriyet, the third most searched for words in the online dictionary of the Turkish Language Institute in January 2008 was "metamorfoz".
The first of foreign radios to air Metamorfoz was the Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
Javan Radio in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA; because of demand from the audience.
European release
Metamorfoz was released by Urban (a Universal Music company) on February 1, 2008 in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The album was published in a special format, which contains the music video of "Vay Anam Vay".
Vay Anam Vay
The video was shot in 2007 in the studios of İstanbul Film Sokağı, the director was Kıvanç Baruönü, who is known as the special effects master for the top hit Turkish sci-fi movie, G.O.R.A.G.O.R.A.
G.O.R.A. is a 2004 Turkish science-fiction comedy film, directed by Ömer Faruk Sorak, which stars Cem Yılmaz as a used carpet salesman who is abducted by aliens from the planet G.O.R.A...
starring Cem Yılmaz
Cem Yilmaz
Cem Yılmaz is a Turkish stand-up comedian, actor and filmmaker, best known for his films G.O.R.A. , A.R.O.G and Yahşi Batı , who has won two Sadri Alışık awards for his roles in Organize İşler and The Magician .-Biography:While studying at the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management of...
. The shooting lasted one day, the video was mainly made with bluescreen techniques. Tarkan's partner in the video is Liraz Dror. Vay Anam Vay went on air on January 15, 2008 in Turkey.
Just like the cover art, the music video of Vay Anam Vay is dominated by grey colors, which is only broken by the dark red color of the stage curtains. The video is without a storyline, Tarkan can be seen in several spots singing, with Liraz Dror in the background on a screen. First, he is seen in the middle of a virtual corridor in the same shiny grey suit he wears on the album cover. The second location is an attic, where he is sitting on a white sofa. Then he is dancing in an empty room, wearing black trousers, a black vest, sports shoes and a hat; as well as jeans, a leather coat and a yellow T-shirt with a Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
motif on it. The fourth location is a virtual stage with dark red curtains, with a screen behind that features Liraz Dror.
Concerts
Tarkan's first concert abroad to promote Metamorfoz will be held in the Wembley ArenaWembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on April 13, 2008, where his special guest will be the Turkish nu metal band maNga
MaNga
Manga is a Turkish nu metal band whose music is mainly a fusion of Anatolian melodies with electronic elements. In 2009, they won both the Best Turkish Act award from MTV Turkey and consequently the Best European Act award from MTV Networks Europe in MTV Europe Music Awards 2009...
. As announced at his own official website, another international concert is scheduled on May 10 and 11, 2008 in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
.
Critics, journalists and industry representatives
- Michael Show:
- Yasemin Kağa (Product manager for Sony BMG Turkey):
- Ahmet San (producer, Tarkan's previous manager):
- Ercan Saatçi (owner of the record label Rec by Saatchi):
- Sina Koloğlu (journalist):
- Naim Dilmener (music critic)
Musicians and singers
İbrahim Tatlısesİbrahim Tatlıses
-References:...
singer-showman, who is considered to be the "emperor" of arabesque music
Arabesque music
Arabesque or Arabesk is a genre termed so by Turkish musicologists for Arabic-style music created in Turkey. The genre was particularly popular in Turkey in the decades from the 1960s through 1990s. As with Arabic music itself, its aesthetics have evolved over the decades...
, thinks that Metamorfoz is a "really fine album" and that critics are being unjust to Tarkan. He added that in Turkey "trees with fruits are stoned, and Tarkan's fruit yield is far too rich". Nil Karaibrahimgil
Nil Karaibrahimgil
Nil Karaibrahimgil , also popularly known simply as Nil , is a well known Turkish singer and songwriter mostly noted for her distinct lyrics...
singer, in her article for Hürriyet condemned the criticism saying that in Turkey apparently the only important thing is to criticise an artist's appearance and sentences, to find mistakes and point fingers at someone they used to put on a pedestal.
The popular pop singer, Kayahan
Kayahan
Kayahan is a Turkish pop singer and composer, one of the consistently best-selling musicians in Turkey. He writes all of his own material and has released more than eight best-selling albums during a career spanning 30 years.-Biography:Kayahan was born in İzmir, Turkey in 1949...
, in an interview for Bugün newspaper said that these so-called critics usually don't know anything about music, and what's more they try to move Tarkan out of his place in the music market: "Takan sings well. I wonder those who are working on discrediting Tarkan, with what they want to replace him. They are being unfair to him. They should leave Tarkan alone!"
Artwork
The cover and CD booklet artwork was done by İsmail Aylakçı and Onur Güngör, the photographs were made by Tamer Yılmaz. The paper slide cover features Tarkan standing in the middle of a wheatWheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
field, just as a storm is about to break out, with dark clouds in the background. He is wearing a shiny grey suit with a thin tie - an image that was highly criticized by the Turkish press. The title is printed in Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
dots on the back of the cover.
The booklet itself reflects the initial grey-gold image of the cover. Inside the booklet, there are several photos of Tarkan with dark, stormy backgrounds; grey, black and dark golden-yellow colors dominate. In the middle of the booklet a small-size, poster-like two page photograph is placed, picturing Tarkan in his grey suit in a different standing position than on the cover. Besides the lyrics and the credits, a short note of acknowledgment is also included in the booklet.
Track listing
Metamorfoz- Vay Anam Vay (4:05)
- Dilli Düdük (3:39)
- Arada Bir (4:10)
- İstanbul Ağlıyor (4:50)
- Hop Hop Feat Justin Timberlake(4:23)
- Dedikodu (4:21)
- Bam Teli (4:36)
- Gün Gibi (4:59)
- Çat Kapı (3:37)
- Pare Pare Feat Justin Timberlake(5:16)
Metamorfoz Remixes
- Pare Pare (Tiesto Mix) Feat Justin Timberlake
- Vay Anam Vay (Elektrofied Mix)
- Arada Bir (Be Funkee Mix)
- İstanbul Ağlıyor (Hökenek Mix)
- Dilli Düdük (Suat Ateşdağlı & Yalçın Aşan Mix)
- Vay Anam Vay (Erdem Kınay Mix)
- Dedikodu (Ozan Doğulu Mix)
- Arada Bir (Ozinga Mix)
- Vay Anam Vay (Gürcell Mix)
- Çat Kapı (Hökenek Mix)
- Hop Hop (Kıvanç K Gangsta Mix) Feat Justin Timberlake
- Vay Anam Vay (Elektherock Mix)
- İstanbul Ağlıyor (Murat Matthew Erdem Mix)
Personnel
- Producer: Ozan ÇolakoğluOzan ÇolakogluOzan Çolakoğlu is a Turkish composer, songwriter and music producer; famous for his work with pop idol Tarkan and his various film scores. He co-founded the production company Sarı Ev , but left it in 2010 to work for dB Müzik....
, Tarkan - Audio engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
: Ozan Çolakoğlu - Mix: Ozan Çolakoğlu
- Recording, edit and mix: Murat Matthew Erdem
- Studio: Sarı Ev, Imaj
- Mastering: Miles Showell / Metropolis Group Ltd.
- Photography: Tamer Yılmaz
- Hair: Yıldırım Özdemir
- Make-up: Neriman Eröz
- Artwork: İsmail Aylakcı, Onur Güngör
- Edition: Hande Menekşe
- Printing: GD Ofset
Musicians
- Electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
: Can Şengün - Acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
: Can Şengün, Michael Annas Allaf - Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
: Alp Ersönmez - StringsString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
: String ensembleString orchestraA string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
Gündem - Percussions: Mehmet Akatay
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
December 25, 2007 |
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
February 1, 2008 |
| Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
February 8, 2008 |