Synkronized

Synkronized is the fourth studio album released by British 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.

Synkronized
Studio album by Jamiroquai
Released	8 June 1999 (United States) 14 June 1999 (UK)
Recorded	1998–1999 Chillington Studio, Buckinghamshire
Genre	Funk post-disco acid jazz
Length	53:06
Label	Sony Soho Square (UK) Work (US)
Producer	Al Stone / 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
"Deeper Underground" Released: 13 July 1998 "Canned Heat" Released: 24 May 1999 "Supersonic" Released: 13 September 1999 "King for a Day" Released: 29 November 1999 "Black Capricorn Day" Released: 2 February 2000

Album information

The album's recording sessions began at Jay Kay's home studio in 1998. About 9 tracks[1] were recorded, but the band's bassist, Stuart Zender, left partway through the recording in late 1998 over a dispute regarding album credits.[2] Jay Kay hired a replacement, Nick Fyffe. Kay decided to scrap all the tracks and start the album over. The revised album was finished and released within 6 months.[1] An outtake from this album, "Snooze, You Lose", was later released on the mini-album "An Online Odyssey". "Where Do We Go from Here?" was described 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", has "dramatic piano and sympathetic strings", with its lyrics referencing Zender's departure.[3][4] Synkronized is the band's last album to feature Didgeridoo player Wallis Buchanan.[5]

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	[6]
Entertainment Weekly	B−[7]
The Guardian	[8]
Los Angeles Times	[9]
NME	6/10[10]
Q	[11]
Rolling Stone	[12]
Spin	6/10[13]
The Village Voice	C−[14]

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?"[12] 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."[7] 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".[15] In his consumer guide for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau gave the album a C– rating in his annual "Turkey Shoot",[14] indicating "a bad record of some general import".[16]

Track listing

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

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Canned Heat"	Kay	5:31
2.	"Planet Home"		4:44
3.	"Black Capricorn Day"	Kay	5:41
4.	"Soul Education"		4:15
5.	"Falling"		3:45
6.	"Destitute Illusions" (instrumental)	Kay, Smith, Derrick McKenzie	5:40
7.	"Supersonic"		5:15
8.	"Butterfly"		4:28
9.	"Where Do We Go from Here?"	Kay	5:13
10.	"King for a Day"		3:40
Total length:			48:12

UK bonus track

No.	Title	Length
11.	"Deeper Underground"	4:46

Japanese bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Getinfunky"	Kay, Wallis Buchanan	5:35

Australian bonus disc

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Deeper Underground"		4:46
2.	"Getinfunky"	Kay, Buchanan	5:35
3.	"Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"	Kay, Buchanan	4:00

Personnel

Credits for Synkronized adapted from album liner notes.[17]

• Jay Kay – vocals, arrangements, string arrangements, artwork concept
• Sola Akingbola – percussion
• Wallis Buchanan – didgeridoo
• D-Zire – DJ
• Nick Fyffe – bass
• Simon Hale – string arrangements, keyboard programming (track 10)
• Simon Katz – guitar
• Irwin Kelles – guitar (track 1)
• Kick Horns – horns
• Katie Kissoon – backing vocals
• David Malone – artwork concept
• Mike Marsh – mastering
• Derrick McKenzie – drums
• Toby Smith – keyboards, keyboard programming (tracks 1–9)
• Al Stone – mixing, recording
• Paul Stoney – assistant engineering
• Midori Tsukagoshi – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart Position Australian ARIA Album Chart[18] 1 Austrian Albums Chart[19] 2 Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[20] 4 Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[21] 6 Canadian RPM Albums Chart[22] 10 Dutch Albums Chart[23] 6 European Albums Chart[24] 1 Finnish Albums Chart[25] 4 French SNEP Albums Chart[26] 2 German Media Control Albums Chart[27] 1 Italian Albums Chart[28] 7 Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[29] 2 New Zealand Albums Chart[30] 12 Norwegian Albums Chart[31] 8 Swedish Albums Chart[32] 9 Swiss Albums Chart[33] 2 UK Albums Chart[34] 1 U.S. Billboard 200[35] 28

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Australian Albums Chart[36] 63 Austrian Albums Chart[37] 42 Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[38] 42 Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[39] 36 Dutch Albums Chart[40] 50 French Albums Chart[41] 30 German Albums Chart[42] 23 Italian Albums Chart[28] 57 Japanese Albums Chart[43] 32 Swiss Albums Chart[44] 25

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[45]	Gold	35,000^^
Belgium (BEA)[46]	Gold	25,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[47]	Gold	50,000^^
France (SNEP)[48]	Platinum	455,000[49]^*
Germany (BVMI)[50]	Gold	250,000^^
Japan (RIAJ)[51]	4× Platinum	800,000^^
Netherlands (NVPI)[52]	Gold	50,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[53]	Gold	7,500^^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[54]	Gold	50,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[55]	Platinum	50,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[56]	Platinum	563,487[57]^^
United States (RIAA)[58]	N/A	310,000[59]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[60]	Platinum	1,000,000^*
Worldwide	N/A	3,000,000[61]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Jay Kay MTV interview 1999
2. Official Stuart Zender leaving announcement
3. Charles, Chris. "CD Review: Jamiroquai". BBC News. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
4. Mehle, Michael (9 July 1999). "Musical Two Rock Festivals Herald The Sounds Of Summer Mayhem Jamiroquai". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018.
5. Fossum, Melissa (26 April 2012). "Do You Guys Remember Jamiroquai?". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
6. Bush, John. "Synkronized – Jamiroquai". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
7. Browne, David (11 June 1999). "Synkronized". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
8. Simpson, Dave (4 June 1999). "Jamiroquai: Synkronized (S2)". The Guardian.
9. Gardner, Elysa (6 June 1999). "Jamiroquai: 'Synkronized' (The Work Group)". Los Angeles Times.
10. Morton, Roger (14 June 1999). "Jamiroquai – Synkronized". NME. Archived from the original on 3 June 2000. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
11. Maconie, Stuart (July 1999). "Jamiroquai: Synkronized". Q (154): 102–03. Archived from the original on 21 September 1999. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
12. DeCurtis, Anthony (8 July 1999). "Jamiroquai: Synkronized". Rolling Stone (816–817). Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
13. Walters, Barry (August 1999). "Jamiroquai: Synkronized". Spin. 15 (8): 154–56. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
14. Christgau, Robert (23 November 1999). "Turkey Shoot". The Village Voice. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
15. "1999: Q Magazine Recordings of the Year". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
16. Christgau, Robert (15 October 2000). "CG 90s: Key to Icons". Robert Christgau.
17. Synkronized (liner notes). Jamiroquai. Sony Soho Square. 1999. OK 69973.CS1 maint: others (link)
18. "australian-charts.com Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
19. "austriancharts.at Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2014.
20. "ultratop.be Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
21. "ultratop.be Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Hung Medien (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
22. "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 65, No. 4, March 31, 1997". RPM. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
23. "dutchcharts.nl Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
24. "Billboard, 1999" (ASP). Retrieved 19 April 2017.
25. "finnishcharts.com Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Retrieved 2 February 2010.
26. "lescharts.com – Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP) (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
27. "Album Search: Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
28. "Hit Parade Italia – Gli album più venduti del 1999" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
29. "ジャミロクワイ-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック" [Highest position and charting weeks of Synkronized by Jamiroquai]. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
30. "charts.nz Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
31. "norwegiancharts.com Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP). Retrieved 18 December 2013.
32. "swedishcharts.com Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (ASP) (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 January 2014.
33. "Jamiroquai – Synkronized – hitparade.ch" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
34. "Jamiroquai > Artists > Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
35. "AllMusic ((( Synkronized > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
36. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 1999". aria.com.au. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
37. "Austriancharts.at – Jahreshitparade 1999" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
38. "Jaaroverzichten 1999". Ultratop (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
39. "Rapports annuels 1999". Ultratop (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
40. "JAAROVERZICHTEN – ALBUM 1999". Retrieved 25 January 2012.
41. "Les Albums (CD) de 1993 par InfoDisc" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original (PHP) on 19 May 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
42. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
43. "1999年 アルバム年間TOP100" [Oricon Year-end Albums Chart of 1999] (in Japanese). Retrieved 1 January 2014.
44. "Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1996" (ASP). Swiss Music Charts (in Swedish). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
45. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
46. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1999". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
47. "Canadian album certifications – Jamiroquai – Synkronized". Music Canada.
48. "French album certifications – Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (in French). InfoDisc. Select JAMIROQUAI and click OK. 
49. https://www.infodisc.fr/Ventes_Albums_Tout_Temps.php?debut=650
50. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Jamiroquai; 'Synkronized')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
51. "RIAJ > The Record > September 1999 > Certified Awards (July 1999)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
52. "Dutch album certifications – Jamiroquai – Synkronized" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Synkronized in the "Artiest of titel" box.
53. "New Zealand album certifications – Jamiroquai – Synkronized". Recorded Music NZ.
54. Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados > 1995–1999. Iberautor Promociones Culturales. 2005. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
55. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Jamiroquai; 'Synkronized')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
56. "British album certifications – Jamiroquai – Synkronized". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Synkronized in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
57. https://funkin.com/news/4294
58. "American album certifications – Jamiroquai – Synkronized". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
59. "Jamiroquai's 'Funk Odyssey' Set For September". Billboard. 18 June 2001. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
60. "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
61. Flick, Larry (25 August 2001). "Epic's Jamiroquai Steps Into '2001'". Billboard. Retrieved 29 August 2018.