Synkronized

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Synkronized
Jason Kay
Jamiroquai chronology
In Store Jam

(1997)
Synkronized
(1999)
1999 Remixes
(1999)
Jamiroquai studio album chronology
Travelling Without Moving
(1996)
Synkronized
(1999)
A Funk Odyssey
(2001)
Singles from Synkronized
  1. "Deeper Underground"
    Released: 20 May 1998
  2. "Canned Heat"
    Released: 24 May 1999
  3. "Supersonic"
    Released: 13 September 1999
  4. "Black Capricorn Day"
    Released: 3 November 1999 (Japan only)
  5. "King for a Day"
    Released: 29 November 1999

Synkronized is the fourth

studio album by English funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai. It was released on 8 June 1999 by Work Group in the United States, and on 14 June 1999 by S2 Records in the United Kingdom. Bassist Stuart Zender left the band during recording, and Nick Fyffe was hired as a replacement. The album contains funk, acid jazz and disco
elements.

The album reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and number 28 in the US Billboard 200. 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.

Background

The album's recording sessions began at Jay Kay's Buckinghamshire home studio, Chillington, in 1998. About 9 tracks[1] were recorded, but the band's bassist, Stuart Zender, left partway through the recording in late 1998. Jay Kay hired a replacement, Nick Fyffe who previously played in a Jamiroquai cover band,[2] and the album was re-recorded. The revised album was finished and released within 6 months.[1] Synkronized is the band's last album to feature didgeridoo player Wallis Buchanan.[3] Kay said that he was dissatisfied with Synkronized in a 2001 interview, "I never really locked into that album, lyrically. I wasn't there. I listen to it now, and I shake my head."[4]

Composition

The opening track, "

techno influences from "ghostly ambient harmonies to bone-shaking synth bass," and an "out-of-nowhere Latin hustle breakdown".[6][7] The next track, "Black Capricorn Day", has a "driving funk groove with sassy horn interjections" which tend to "stutte[r] like a record on a turntable", with its lyrics about being depressed.[6][8] The lyrics of the fourth track "Soul Education" is about having an "instinctive understanding of universal truths", as Kay confirmed in an interview with Muzik, "A soul education is what we're all born with, and the [song's] lyrics say, 'Life information — it's on the breeze.'"[9]

"Falling" is a "bass driven"

Denise Van Outen,[10][11] which is followed by "Destitute Illusion", an instrumental track "swamped in layer upon layer of antique analogue synthesizers", and has the "scratching of DJ D-Zire".[5][11] The seventh track, "Supersonic", has a "didgeridoo and dobro drone against electronic percussion and a squiggling synth bass, all of which builds to an hallucinogenic mid-song samba break."[6] The "breezy" track "Butterfly" has "a wobbly bassline that rises up and swamps the chorus."[10][5] The "multirhythmic" track "Where Do We Go From Here", has an "energetic progression broken by catchy and uplifting choruses with staccato interplay between the horn section and guitarist Simon Katz".[2][12] The album closes with "King for a Day", which has "dramatic piano and sympathetic strings", and lyrics referencing Zender's departure.[13][14]

Release

Synkronized was first released on 8 June 1999 on the

IFPI denoting sales of 1,000,000 copies.[43] The album overall sold 3,000,000 copies worldwide.[4]

"

UK Singles Chart; it remains as their only single to do so.[45][46] "Canned Heat" was released on 24 May 1999 and was the group's second number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart.[47][48] It also ranked at number 4 in the UK.[49] "Supersonic", released 13 September 1999, is the group's third US Dance Club number 1, also ranking at number 22 in the UK.[48][50][51] "Black Capricorn Day" was released only in Japan on 3 November 1999.[52] "King for a Day" is the last song to be released on 29 November 1999, where it peaked at number 20 in the UK.[53][54]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
[56]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[57]
The Guardian[58]
Los Angeles Times[10]
NME6/10[59]
Q[5]
Rolling Stone[60]
Spin6/10[61]
The Village VoiceC−[62]

The album received positive reviews from critics. According to John Bush of

better source needed
]

David Kendrick of

Traveling Without Moving."[68] In his consumer guide for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau gave the album a C− rating in his annual "Turkey Shoot",[62] indicating "a bad record of some general import".[69]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jay Kay and Toby Smith, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Canned Heat"Kay5:31
2."Planet Home" 4:44
3."Black Capricorn Day"Kay5:41
4."Soul Education" 4:15
5."Falling" 3:45
6."Destitute Illusions" (instrumental)Kay, Smith, Derrick McKenzie5:40
7."Supersonic" 5:15
8."Butterfly" 4:28
9."Where Do We Go from Here?"Kay5:13
10."King for a Day" 3:40
Total length:48:12
UK bonus track[70]
No.TitleLength
11."Deeper Underground"4:46
Japanese bonus track[71]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Getinfunky" (instrumental)Kay, Wallis Buchanan5:35
Australian bonus disc[72]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Deeper Underground" 4:46
2."Getinfunky" (instrumental)Kay, Buchanan5:35
3."Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" (instrumental)Kay, Buchanan4:00
Total length:14:21

Personnel

Credits for Synkronized adapted from album liner notes.[73]

Jamiroquai

  • Jay Kay – vocals, arrangements, string arrangements, producer, artwork concept
  • Toby Smith – keyboards, keyboard programming (tracks 1–9)
  • Derrick McKenzie
    – drums
  • Nick Fyffe – bass
  • Simon Katz – guitar (except track 1)
  • Sola Akingbola
    – percussion
  • Wallis Buchanan – didgeridoo
  • DJ D-Zire – turntables

Additional musicians

  • Irwin Kelles – guitar (track 1)
  • Katie Kissoon & Beverley Skeet – backing vocals
  • Kick Horns – horns
  • Simon Hale – string arrangements, keyboard programming (track 10)

Production

  • Al Stone – producer, recording, mixing
  • Paul Stoney – assistant engineering
  • Mike Marsh – mastering
  • David Malone – artwork concept
  • Midori Tsukagoshi – photography

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[42] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[40] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[83] Gold 50,000^
France (
SNEP)[36]
Platinum 300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[39] Gold 250,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[38] 4× Platinum 800,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[41] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[84] Gold 7,500^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[85] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[37] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Platinum 300,000^
United States 310,000[17]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[43] Platinum 1,000,000*
Worldwide 3,000,000[4]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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External links