Apayrı

Apayrı (Disparate) is the fourth studio album by Turkish singer Hande Yener. It was released on 6 January 2006 by Erol Köse Production. The album includes elements of pop, alternative, house, R&B, club, dance, electronic and rock music and marked a change in Yener's music style. By writing and composing seven of its songs, Mete Özgencil is one of the main songwriter-composers whose name appears in the album. The recordings were done in Hamburg, Germany, and Hande Yener served as one of the album's main producers. It was her first studio album since the release of Aşk Kadın Ruhundan Anlamıyor in 2004.

With 15 songs in total, Apayrı received mixed reviews from music critics. While some praised the album, some criticized Yener for changing her musical style. "Kelepçe", written by Alper Narman and Fettah Can, was chosen as the album's lead single. "Aşkın Ateşi" and "Kim Bilebilir Aşkı" were the album's two other songs for which separate music videos were released, both of which were shot in Italy and directed by Luca Tommassini.

After selling 150,000 copies in five days, Apayrı eventually sold 165,000 copies by the end of 2006 and received a gold certification from MÜ-YAP. It also won the Best Album award at the 2007 Powertürk Music Awards. New versions of some of the album's songs were later re-released as an EP under the title Hande Maxi in 2006. At the end of 2009, Apayrı was placed sixth on the list of best albums of the past decade by NTV. After its initial release in 2006, the album was again put on sales in the music markets on 3 May 2012 and 19 June 2012.

Background and release 

Hande Yener made her debut in 2000 with the release of Senden İbaret and continued her career by the studio albums Sen Yoluna... Ben Yoluma... (2002) and Aşk Kadın Ruhundan Anlamıyor (2004). On the album Sen Yoluna Ben Yoluma she first collaborated with Alper Narman and Fettah Can, and on Aşk Kadın Ruhundan Anlamıyor she started working with Mete Özgencil. In an interview in July 2004, she said that Özgencil would be more involved in her next album. By the end of 2005 and after two years of preparations, the title of Yener's new studio album was announced as Apayrı. In an interview before the album's release, she mentioned that she was seeking new material for her upcoming works and that she wanted to make albums that could be "listened to twenty years later". She also stated that with her new album she was at the "peak point" of her learning process.

On 6 January 2006, Hande Yener's fourth studio album, Apayrı, was released. Yener stated that the album was created for the "sake of art" and that the shadows of the 1980s music which "fed her music style" were existent in it. She also believed that the message in Apayrı was "much smoother" than her previous works. The album contains 15 songs in total, which were written and composed by Ertuğ Ergin, Mete Özgencil, Alper Narman, Fettah Can, Bülent Aris, Erdem Kınay, Can Şambelli, Ender Gündüzlü and Erol Çay. By writing and composing seven of the album's songs, Özgencil became the songwriter and composer whose name was mentioned the most in the album. The songs were arranged by Erdem Kınay, Devrim Karaoğlu, Bülent Aris, Rene "Greco" Krüger, Bülent Aris, and Genco Arı. Kınay arranged eight of the album's songs. Vocal recordings were done at Boyaa Music Studios Hamburg, Germany. The album's photos, which feature the green color, were taken by Simon Henwood and the album booklet was released in shades of green. Apayrı features elements of pop, alternative, house, R&B, club, dans, electronic and rock music.

Apayrı sold 150,000 copies in the first five days after its release, and by the end of 2006 the number rose to 165,000. The album received a gold certification from MÜ-YAP and won the Best Album award at the 2007 Powertürk Music Awards. The European magazine Starstyle, placed the album seventeenth on its list of 2006's best albums and described Yener as "Turkish Madonna". At the end of 2009 Ceyhun Altıok, one of NTV's music judges, placed Apayrı sixth on the list of best albums released over the past decade. Following its initial release in 2006, the album was put on sales two more times on 3 May 2012 and 19 June 2012.

Critical reception 

Apayrı received mixed reviews from critics. Some criticized Yener for her change of musical style, while others praised the album. Radioman Michael Kuyucu believed that the album was released in rush and wrote a negative review for it. Kuyucu wrote that Hande Yener had "stumbled a little bit" with Apayrı and described the album as a "mistake" in her album repertoire. He named "Yola Devam", written and composed by Ertuğ Ergin, as the album's best song, and mentioned that "aggressive" Hande Yener was replaced with "meek" Hande Yener in this album. Journalist Ayşe Özyılmazel also criticized Hande Yener's change of music style and named "Kelepçe" as the album's best song. Tolga Akyıldız wrote a positive review for the album. Akyıldız wrote that the "musical uneasiness" in Aşk Kadın Ruhundan Anlamıyor (2004) was replaced with "a bold sound" in Apayrı, and described it as a "turning point" in Yener's musical career. Music website Gerçek Pop described the album as "fantastic" and in a 2010 review they mentioned that Yener had reached the "peak point" of her career with Apayrı and Nasıl Delirdim? (2007). DJ and radio programmer Olcay Tanberken also published a positive review for the album, describing it as a "top" work. Sabahs Can Sayın praised the album and stated that it was a work with "European" style. Sayın recommended listening to all of the tracks, and wrote that Yener was in a "period of maturity" in her career. He also added that the song "Unut" from this album had helped her in reaching the peak point.

Music videos 
Hande Yener released three music videos for Apayrı. The first music video was made for the song "Kelepçe", written by Alper Narman and Fettah Can. Yener flew to London to shoot the music video under the direction of Simon Henwood. Various animation techniques were used in the video, which was inspired by the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The video was the most expensive of Yener's music videos up to that day. The song ranked first on numerous radio stations and music charts.

After the release of Apayrı, Yener announced that the second music video would be prepared for the song "Kim Bilebilir Aşkı". However, a questionnaire was later put on her official website to ask the audience what the second music video should be and the song "Aşkın Ateşi" was chosen following the survey. The music video for "Aşkın Ateşi" was shot in Italy under the direction of Luca Tommassini. The video represented Turkey at a music video competition by OGAE, a network of fan clubs for Eurovision Song Contest. It ranked second, earning Turkey its best result in the competition. "Aşkın Ateşi" also ranked first in many radio stations in Turkey.

The third music video was prepared for "Kim Bilebilir Aşkı", which was originally intended to become the album's second music video. As with the previous video, this one was also directed by Luca Tommassini and shot at Tommassini's house in Rome. Hande Yener appeared as a geisha in the video. A new version "Kim Bilebilir Aşkı" was later included in Hande Maxi and released as the first music video of the EP.

Track listing

Personnel 

 Erol Köse Exclusive – production
 Erol Köse – producer, production director
 Üçüncü Göz Ltd. Şti. – production company
 Hande Yener – main vocals, producer
 Boyaa Music Studios – vocal recordings
 Mete Özgencil – songwriter, composer
 Ertuğ Ergin – songwriter, composer
 Erdem Kınay – arranger, composer
 Alper Narman – songwriter, composer
 Fettah Can – songwriter, composer
 Bülent Aris – arranger, composer
 Erol Çay – songwriter, composer
 Devrim Karaoğlu – arranger
 Can Şambelli – songwriter, composer
 Rene "Greco" Krüger – arranger, piano
 Ender Gündüzlü – songwriter, composer
 Genco Arı – arranger, bass guitar, fender Rhodes
 Simon Henwoood – photographer
 Canan Kaplan – vocals
 Ebru & Elçin – vocals
 Thierry Paul – guitar

 Jörg Sander – guitar
 Fontaine Burnet – bass guitar
 Burak Gültekin – acoustic guitar
 Halil İbrahim Işık – flugelhorn, trumpet
 Bülent Tekakpınar – vocals
 Ayşegül Yağız – vocals
 Dirk Sengotta – drums
 Sarp Maden – guitar
 Andreas "Spok" Bock – drums recording
 Soundgarden – mastering
 Master & Sevant – mastering
 Gow Tanaka – hair
 Helen Asher – make-up
 Brooke Neilson – stylist
 Sanem Canik Habib – creative consultant
 Pink Production – project coordination, management
 Şermin Ekinci – project coordination, management
 Exposure Films – design
 CM – printing
 Funda Düşgör – PR

Credits adapted from Apayrıs album booklet.

Release history

References

External links 
 Apayrı – Discogs

Category:2006 albums
Category:Hande Yener albums