Come Closer [Import]

To the negative reviews that can't go past two sentences, I wonder why? It is so easy to write so little without giving justification, and pioneers are often misunderstood in their own time.

Tarkan truly is a pioneer and often misunderstood. But to be honest when I read such nonsense that "you can hardly hear his voice", even though I read it assuming good intention on behalf of the people that bothered to write two sentences to say that, I can't help but think they either bought a different album, or their intentions are not wholly pure.

I fell in love with Tarkan singing in Turkish, I didn't truly appreciate world music until his Karma album.

So, I too had my doubts when I bought this album. Tarkan's 'Come Closer' - his debut English album - I thought was going to be a commercial sell-out for US audiences.

But it wasn't - it was filled with new sounds and different instruments, playing melodies and harmonies that they do not normally play, as though Tarkan bought different cultures and different sounds together and helped them to see that they can play well together and in harmony.

With this album Tarkan has not only brought people together, he has brought different ranges of music closer together.

Plus, it is highly addictive. I heartily agree with the reviewer that said she listens to it repeatedly. I do, too. It gets that you feel you need to listen to it.

Tracks to watch out for:

DANCE TRACKS

Track 3: Why Don't We (feat Wyclef Jean) - Tarkan definitely does not whisper in this track! It is so sexy and vibrant, it'll keep you dancing long after the tune ends - it just reverberates in your head. And Jean's rapping over Turkish melodies is just unforgettable.

Track 4: Mine - I just can't get over this song. The darbuka beats in excellent - and Tarkan's vocals are sexy and husky - but he also hits the high range as he sings: "Do you want it all or not at all?" Watch out for the middle section of the song where he asks "Don't you want to misbehave me?" It's a crazy song and Tarkan truly makes you his with the urban vibes married perfectly to oriental sexuality of darbuka shaking hips - this is one to listen to over and over again!

Track 6: Start The Fire! This song is wild - another dancy tune, with 80s beats that are back in fashion in songs again - and is perfect to sing-a-long too!

Track 12: I'm gonna make you feel good - the sexy lyrics do it for me for this song. "Come on bring your dirty mind upstairs" he sings and you feel yourself just shaking to the pacy beat.

SLOW MOJOS

Track 5: Over - Tarkan's voice is amazing here - so mourningful accompanied by sufi like chants and spanish guitars. It is an amazing slow tune of love gone and bitter regret. Not for the easily upset.

Track 9: Come Closer - The song that lends it's name to the album. The song begins with the sound of children playing happily that flows into another Latin smoothed ballad with Trakan's silky smooth voice - calling for all of humanity to "Come Closer".

Track 15: If Only you Knew - On Tarkan's Karma album I had a favourite slow track - Verme. These two songs not share the fact of being the last tracks on their albums - but they are also the most spritual songs I've heard. "If only I could take the sun and moon and make tomorrow wait..." This is unmistakable Tarkan.

So what are you waiting for - buy this life-changing album today.

Tarkan delivers a quality set of slick Turkish music vibes fused in RnB, hip hop and pop.

When I first heard that Tarkan was going to jump into the urban genre with his first English language album I went "OH NO!" There's only so much sex implied/foreplay lyrics that one album can handle, and the lack of variety can ultimately prove fatal.

Yet, this album shows how much Tarkan knows his stuff, because he hasn't fallen into the same trap that many urban artists do.

This makes "Come Closer" a solid enough collection of slow jams, and modern beats, with just the right amount of sex added in as spice.

Filled with sexy tales of flirtation "I'm Gonna Make You feel Good" and "Mine", and fatal attractions "Just Like That" and "Shikidim", you might, at first glance, expect Come Closer to be devoid of serious messages. Not a chance; songs like "Come Closer" (calling out "for a thread of peace and a seed of hope"), and "Mass Confusion" (Tarkan sings "I'm overanalyzed, digitized, terrorized, Over merchandised, paralyzed") gives us a deeper insight to how this singer's mind clicks.

His serious points - particularly on songs such as "Over" (a Spanish flavoured ballad about lost love), "Come Closer", "Mass Confusion" and "If Only You Knew" give out deeper messages of the world today and how we should try harder to unify with each other and ourselves.

A surprise bonus is the addition of Fugee's Wyclef Jean lending his rap to Tarkan's vocals on track three: Why Don't We.

Tarkan is quality. He seems to get better and better with every new album. Though I have to say that I don't EVER want him to stop singing in Turkish, but this album is a best buy.

It goes without saying that the album is a masterpiece. If you feel unsure about the album's victorious not too distant future, try it yourself and you'll see what I mean!

In case you are familiar with Turkish pop culture and admire it, you will be pleasantly surprised. The album succeeds in combining different musical traditions to an outstanding unity. The West meets East and backwards! Tarkan and his team break down barriers.

If you are unfamiliar with Tarkan's music (or Turkish music in general), I am sure this album will capture your attention by the haunting oriental groove. You cannot escape once you're into it! And believe me you won't have a single impulse to skip a song while listening to the album.

Tastes differ of course... One can hardly enjoy each and every song of an album, but I am sure there is something for everybody on this one! Personally I liked `Why Don't We (Aman Aman)' best.

`Music should have no borders and we should all try to come closer' (Tarkan).

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 50 reviews  4.5 out of 5 stars