Synkronized

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Synkronized
File:Jamiroquai Synkronized CD cover.JPG
Studio album by Jamiroquai
Released 8 June 1999 (United States)
14 June 1999 (UK)
Recorded 1998-1999 Chillington Studio, Buckinghamshire
Genre Disco, funk
Length 53:06
Label Sony Soho Square (UK)
Work (US)
Producer Al Stone / Jason Kay
Jamiroquai chronology
In Store Jam
(1997)In Store Jam1997		 Synkronized
(1999)		 1999 Remixes
(1999)1999 Remixes1999
Singles from Synkronized
  1. "Deeper Underground"
    Released: 13 July 1998
  2. "Canned Heat"
    Released: 24 May 1999
  3. "Supersonic"
    Released: 13 September 1999
  4. "King for a Day"
    Released: 29 November 1999
  5. "Black Capricorn Day"
    Released: 2 February 2000

Synkronized is the fourth studio album released by funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai. It was released on 8 June 1999 on Work Group in the United States and on 14 June 1999 in the United Kingdom under S2 Records. The album contains funk, acid jazz and disco elements. It is also known for being the last Jamiroquai album featuring the band's more traditional line-up and sound.

Album information

The album was originally intended to be titled Symphonized and recording sessions began at Jay Kay's home studio in 1998 with Stuart Zender still on bass. About 9 tracks[1] were written and recorded, but Zender left partway through the recording in late 1998 over a dispute of album credits.[2] Rather than credit Zender for the tracks he had played on, Jay Kay hired a replacement, Nick Fyffe. Kay decided to scrap all the tracks and start the album over. The new project was called Synkronized and the whole album was finished and released within 6 months.[1] Clips of two of the tracks from Symphonized which Zender played on were shown on MTV before the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, prior to Zender's departure, in a segment looking back at past winners. The clips display a much more Latin and fusion sound than the songs that made it on the final album track listing. An outtake from Synkronized, "Snooze, You Lose", was later released on the mini-album "An Online Odyssey". "Where Do We Go From Here?" was described[who?] as the point of change within the group's sound, using rocks with a leap-frogging blues piano and tangy bongos. The final song on the album, "King For A Day", is a regal rock-operatic excursion embellished with fully orchestrated piano and strings, with lyrics relating to Stuart Zender. It is noticeable that there is no bass guitar or bass synth sound within the song. Didgeridoo player Wallis Buchanan made his last appearance on the song "Supersonic".

The UK version of the album includes the bonus track "Deeper Underground", which was released as a single the previous year and became Jamiroquai's only number one single in the UK.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 4/5 stars[3]
Entertainment Weekly B−[4]
Robert Christgau C–[5]
Rolling Stone 3/5 stars[6]
Q 4/5 stars[7]
NME 6/10[8]
Spin 6/10[9]
Vibe favorable[10]

Rolling Stone gave the album 3 out of five stars, claiming "Synkronized is fifty minutes of sleek, sexy fun, a party album delivered with something like conviction. It's not exactly irresistible, but, really, what's the point of resisting it?"[6] Spin gave the album the same rating, claiming "...redirects the band's British tendency toward smoothed-out old black jams....soaring strings, gyrating congas, hell-bent wah-wah's, and an undeniably live rhythm section that'll hustle your muscles and make you freak to the beat..." Entertainment Weekly claimed "Imagine if [Stevie] Wonder had made a disco album in 1977!....Synkronized is a hat trick done with the sharpest chapeau in the store."[4] College Music Journal claimed "This incessantly upbeat expedition travels into the regions of Travolta-era disco...feverish funk...and instrumental iridescence...keeping your ears tuned to their funktastic audio adventures." Mojo claimed "Synkronized proves Jamiroquai...are capable of knocking up fluid and thrilling grooves at the drop of an enormous hat....Jay's voice is wonderful throughout, delivering his admittedly toe-curling lyrics with...conviction." Q magazine claimed the album was one of the "50 Best Albums of 1999".[11] In his consumer guide for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau gave the album a C– rating in his annual "Turkey Shoot",[5] indicating "a bad record of some general import".[12]

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Canned Heat"   Jay Kay 5:31
2. "Planet Home"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 4:44
3. "Black Capricorn Day"   Jay Kay 5:41
4. "Soul Education"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 4:15
5. "Falling"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 3:45
6. "Destitute Illusions"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith, Derrick McKenzie 5:40
7. "Supersonic"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 5:15
8. "Butterfly"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 4:28
9. "Where Do We Go From Here?"   Jay Kay 5:13
10. "King for a Day"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 3:40
Total length:
 48:12
UK Bonus Track
No. Title Writer(s) Length
11. "Deeper Underground"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 4:46
Japanese Bonus Track
No. Title Writer(s) Length
11. "Getinfunky"   Jay Kay, Wallis Buchanan 5:35
Australian Bonus Disc
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Deeper Underground"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 4:46
2. "Getinfunky"   Jay Kay, Wallis Buchanan 5:35
3. "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"   Jay Kay, Wallis Buchanan 4:00

Personnel

  • Jay Kay – lead vocals
  • DJ D-Zire – wheels of steel
  • Simon Katz – guitar
  • Toby Smith – keyboards
  • Nick Fyffe – bass
  • Derrick McKenzie – drums
  • Sola Akingbola – percussion
  • John Thirkell - Trumpet
  • Mike Smith - Saxophone
  • Dennis Rollins - Trombone
  • Wallis Buchanan – didgeridoo
  • Donny Wallace – Platins

Charts

Preceded by Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
21 June 1999		 Succeeded by
Songs from Dawson's Creek by various artists
Preceded by UK Albums Chart number-one album
26 June 1999		 Succeeded by
Surrender by The Chemical Brothers

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[38] Gold 35,000
Canada (Music Canada)[39] Gold 50,000
France (SNEP)[40] Platinum 293,200[41]
Germany (BVMI)[42] Gold 250,000
Japan (RIAJ)[43] 4× Platinum 800,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44] Gold 7,500
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[45] Gold 50,000
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[46] Platinum 50,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Platinum 300,000
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[48] Platinum 1,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jay Kay MTV interview 1999
  2. ↑ Official Stuart Zender leaving announcement
  3. ↑ Bush, John. "Jamiroquai: Synkronized > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Q (7/99, pp.102-3) - 4 stars (out of 5) - "...[consolidates] the group's irrepressibly catchy old-skool funk with something darker and stranger....the most obtuse and best things the band have put down..."
  8. ↑ NME review
  9. ↑ Spin (8/99, p.154) - 6 (out of 10) - "...redirects the band's British tendency toward smoothed-out old black jams....soaring strings, gyrating congas, hell-bent wah-wah's, and an undeniably live rhythm section that'll hustle your muscles and make you freak to the beat..."
  10. ↑ Vibe review
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select JAMIROQUAI and click OK
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Synkronized in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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