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.

Critical reception

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".^[5] 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.^[6] 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".^[6] The review at Allmusic suggests "[t]here are no big surprises here, but it's a good album nonetheless".^[7]

Track listing

All tracks composed by King Sunny Adé.

1. "Synchro Feelings - Ilako" – 5:36
2. "Mo Ti Mo" – 5:31
3. "Penkele" – 4:00
4. "Maajo" – 4:10
5. "Synchro System" – 6:27
6. "E Saiye Re" – 3:29
7. "Tolongo" – 3:19
8. "E Wele" – 5:03
9. "Synchro (Reprise)" – 1:27

Personnel

Performance

• Fatoke Abiodun – percussion, agogô
• Shina Abiodun – conga
• King Sunny Ade – 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