The Singles Jukebox

Checking in on Turkey’s charts…

[Video]
[5.33]

Juana Giaimo: The western world isn’t used to pop songs being almost five minutes long. Listening to “Vay Delikanli Gönlüm,” as well as other mid-eastern singles we covered in the past, I can’t avoid thinking, “this is just too long.” Given the length, the proportions of the song structure change a lot: the intro lasts a minute and a half, and the post chorus instrumental part is half a minute long and then that slow boring intro comes again. But even if this song were shorter, I’d still find Veysel Mutlu’s deep voice quite upsetting.
[4]

Iain Mew: Veysel Mutlu’s full-throated shivers over the stark opening are captivating enough to carry a song alone, so when the beat drops too after a couple of aeons of tension-building it’s a generous treat.
[8]

Micha Cavaseno: The floridity of the main parts of the song don’t overflow so much as the long and winding pace manages to fizzle out attentions, and the inevitable rejoinder feels almost a bit too light to explain such a build to get there. All the same, it’s a cute and earnest record that perhaps does what it wants better than I recognize, but doesn’t entice as much as it does its job.
[4]

Katherine St Asaph: Flits between ballad, banger and instrumental flourish; best in the midsection, when it manages all three at once.
[6]

Will Adams: The intro is breathtaking — Veysel Mutlu sings to the heavens as the beat slowly comes into view — but curiously, the eventual chorus fails to keep the momentum. After an extended instrumental break, we’re treated to another weightless verse, but by then the steam has been let out.
[5]

Jonathan Bradley: Mutlu luxuriates in his delivery, rolling his r’s and stretching out his syllables. It sounds more fun for him than for us: the insistent advance of the pounding rhythm, a gratification too delayed, better sells his strengths.
[5]