Syncro System
Syncro System is a 1983 album by Nigerian jùjú band King Sunny Adé And His African Beats. The album peaked at #91 on Billboard's "Pop Albums" chart.[1] It was the second of King Sunny Adé's three releases for Island Records, following on the heels of 1982's Juju Music,[2] but was not as critically well-received as the first. The album was re-released in 1990 under the variant spelling Synchro System.
Syncro System | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1983 | |||
Genre | Jùjú | |||
Length | 38:56 | |||
Label | Mango Records | |||
Producer | Martin Meissonnier | |||
King Sunny Adé And His African Beats chronology | ||||
| ||||
Synchro System | ||||
1990 re-release under variant spelling |
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Christgau's Record Guide | A–[4] |
Rolling Stone |
Though it charted higher, Syncro System was not as critically well-received as Juju Music, the predecessor credited by The New York Times with launching the "World Beat movement in the United States".[6] In its review, Rolling Stone noted that while this album held many of the same features as the former, it "does not quite match the excitement or subtlety" and did demonstrate limitations within the emerging genre.[7] In spite of that and what Rolling Stone termed a "regrettable" reduction of the steel guitar of Demola Adepoju, the critic noted that "there are few bands that can play with this kind of emotion and sensitivity, and that alone makes Synchro System a worthwhile, though not indispensable, sampling of some of the world's most captivating music".[7] The review at AllMusic suggests "[t]here are no big surprises here, but it's a good album nonetheless".[8] It was ranked at number 10 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1983 by NME.[9]
Track listing
All tracks composed by King Sunny Adé.
- "Synchro Feelings - Ilako" – 5:36
- "Mo Ti Mo" – 5:31
- "Penkele" – 4:00
- "Maajo" – 4:10
- "Synchro System" – 6:27
- "E Saiye Re" – 3:29
- "Tolongo" – 3:19
- "E Wele" – 5:03
- "Synchro (Reprise)" – 1:27
Personnel
Performance
- Fatoke Abiodun – percussion, agogô
- Shina Abiodun – conga
- King Sunny Adé – guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Ademola Adepoju – steel guitar
- Jacob Ajakaye – vocals
- Moses Akanbi – drums
- John Akpan – guitar, rhythm guitar
- Rasaki Aladokun – African drum, talking drum
- Gani Alashe – percussion, shekere
- Michael Babalola – maracas
- Elder Osei Bonsu – guitar, percussion, motimo
- Jonah Bonsu – keyboards
- Tunde Demiola – vocals
- Niyi Falaye – vocals
- Segun Hori – guitar
- Jelili Lawal – bass
- Martin Meissonnier – keyboards
- Bob Ohiri – guitar
- Alhaji Timmy Olaitan – drums, African drum, talking drum
- Matthew Olojede – vocals
- Femi Owomoyela – vocals
Production
- Lynn Goldsmith – photography, cover photo
- Godwin Logie – engineer, mixing
- Martin Meissonnier – producer, coordination
- Stephen Street – assistant engineer, mixing
References
- Juju Music chart & awards at AllMusic
- Baird, Robert. (July 22, 1992) The Sunny King: this Nigerian superstar rules the realm of world music. The Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- AllMusic review
- Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
- Rolling Stone review
- Watrous, Peter. (September 13, 1990) Into Juju's ecstatic heart The New York Times. Retrieved 29-01-08.
- Gregg, Jonathan. (September 1, 1983) Synchro System Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- Synchro System at AllMusic
- "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2018.