Jerome Sydenham


Jerome Sydenham is an electronic music producer, DJ and multi-record label owner known for establishing a pan-African electro direction within the house and techno genres.
Born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria, he was schooled in his teens in England before migrating to New York City in the early 1980s to further his music interests with his family there. He is now based in Berlin, Germany running a stable of record labels including Ibadan Records as well as actively touring as a DJ and producing music.
Following a recording career, he released an album, Animal Social Club, on Ibadan Records in 2012, followed by a co-production project with Aybee and Ron Trent under the artist name S.A.T. which saw a release of an album of the same name in 2014 to acclaimed reviews.

A&R background

Sydenham was recruited into the A&R division of Atlantic Records in 1989.
In 1994, while at East West Records, owned by Warner Music Group, his underground dance music interests continued to run in tangent with his commercial A&R work as he largely succeeded in crossing dance over to the mainstream with albums by Ten City and Michael Watford. During this time, he also compiled one of the representations of early 1990s deep house with his "Underground Dance Classics Vol. 1" CD showcasing some of the earliest productions from a young Roger Sanchez, Murk and Pal Joey. It was there where he also met Kerri Chandler, releasing one of his records on Atlantic in 1990. The two would continue to be close friends and collaborators later in life along with Dennis Ferrer and Joe Claussell.

A&R achievements

He has received the following gold and platinum records during his A&R involvement at Atlantic Records and East West Records:

Gold records

  • Yo-Yo – "You Can't Play with My Yo-Yo" feat. Ice Cube
  • LeVert – "Private Line"
  • En Vogue – "My Lovin"
  • En Vogue – "Giving Him Something He Can Feel"
  • En Vogue – "Free Your Mind"
  • En Vogue – "Give It Up, Turn It Loose"
  • Da Lench Mob – Guerillas in tha Mist
  • The Family Stand – Ghetto Heaven
  • Das EFX – "They Want EFX"
  • Das EFX – ''Straight Up Sewaside''

    Platinum records

  • En Vogue – Born to Sing
  • En Vogue – Funky Divas , US 5× platinum
  • En Vogue – "Hold On"
  • Simply Red – Stars , US 12× platinum
  • Snow – 12 Inches of Snow
  • Snow – "Informer"
  • Das EFX – ''Dead Serious''

    Label management

In 1995 Sydenham founded Ibadan Records in New York City, though it is now run out of Berlin, Germany. The label celebrated its 15-year anniversary in 2010
Says Jerome Sydenham, "There isn't really an Ibadan sound. Ibadan has a principle to make high quality music which covers all areas of electronic music, acoustic dance music, ultimately jazz funk, jazz and maybe even hip hop and R&B".
Jerome Sydenham and his label, Ibadan Records, managed together with Christine Pedersen, is principal to several labels including:
  • Apotek Records
  • Avocado Records
  • Public Service Records
  • UK Promotions

    Selected discography

Ibadan Records LP

  • 2001: ''Saturday''

    Ibadan Records EPs

  • 2015: Rudra
  • 2013: Sun Ark
  • 2013: No Shade 2012: Various - Ibadan - Animal Social Club
  • 2012: Argy - Fundamentals
  • 2012: White Light
  • 2012: I Adventure
  • 2011: Natural Spray
  • 2012: Various - Ibadan - Animal Social Club
  • 2012: Argy - Fundamentals
  • 2011: Various - Ibadan - Beginnings Revisited'
  • 2010: White Light
  • 2010: Mobile / Skimming / Incense
  • 2010: Thick & Thin
  • 2009: Jango 01
  • 2009: Jango 02
  • 2009: Brooklyn Rock
  • 2008: Ebian
  • 2008: Various - Ibadan - Deep Strokes
  • 2008: Various - Ibadan - Deep Strokes
  • 2008: Various - Ibadan - Pan African Electro
  • 2008: Various - Ibadan - Pan African Electro
  • 2008: Various - Ibadan - Afrotonic
  • 2008: Elevation & F12 Remixes
  • 2008: In the Barber Shop
  • 2007: Timbuktu
  • 2006: Sandcastles
  • 2006: Son of Raw / Undertow / Back Door
  • 2006: № 8 – Elevation
  • 2006: Various Electric Pussycat starring Jerome Sydenham as Casino J
  • 2006: Various - Underground Dance Music Vol. 1
  • 2005: Various - Explosive Hi Fidelity Sounds DJ Mix by Jerome Sydenham
  • 2005: Stockholm – Go Bang!
  • 2005: Candela
  • 2005: Je Ka Jo
  • 2004: Slam Mode - Signals
  • 2004: Various - Space Lab Yellow compiled by Jerome Sydenham and Ryo Watanabe
  • 2003: Various - Ibadan People DJ Mix by Jerome Sydenham
  • 2003: Various - Space Lab Yellow compiled by Jerome Sydenham and Ryo Watanabe
  • 2002: Vince Watson - Moments in Time
  • 2002: Various - Space Lab Yellow compiled by Jerome Sydenham and Ryo Watanabe
  • 2001: Various - Space Lab Yellow compiled by Jerome Sydenham and Ryo Watanabe
  • 2001: Various - Ibadan - Saturday
  • 2001: Ten City - The Best Of
  • 2000: ''Àró''

    Apotek EPs

  • 2014: My Normal Usual Far
  • 2013: Disciple Trail
  • 2011: The Canine EP
  • 2010: Vanishing Point / Weather System
  • 2010: Big Yam
  • 2010: Incidental
  • 2010: Black Ice / Circus of Life / Bang Me
  • 2009: My Pet Gorilla / Tonto / Museum of Modern
  • 2009: Judgement EP
  • 2008: ''The Puzzle / Congo''

    Avocado EPs

  • 2010: Inside
  • 2009: The Flight
  • 2008: Peter Pan / Snow Bored
  • 2007: ''Elephant''

    UK promotion EPs

  • 2010: Sting
  • 2009: Feel It / I'm In / Benevolent Red
  • 2009: Powerless / Deep Fried
  • 2009: Ecoute! / Jor-El
  • 2008: Darkroom / Sodom
  • 2007: ''Blacktro / Spiritual Insurrection''

    Other releases

  • 2011: Trombipolution Pt.2, Drumcode
  • 2010: Mutualism System, Noir Music
  • 2010: Trombipolution, Drumcode
  • 2010: Mi Estudio / Two Ninety One, CLR Records
  • 2010: The Visitation / Rump / Cowboy / The Scavenger, Drumcode

    Selected remixes

  • 2010: Dance Disorder – Zusammen, BPitch Control
  • 2010: Dennis Ferrer – The Red Room, Objektivity
  • 2010: Pig & Dan – Addiction, Ground Factory Records
  • 2010: Raiz – Keep Secret , Droid Records
  • 2010: Manuyell, Mr. Flavour – Clitter, Full Flava Records
  • 2010: Clara Sofie, Rune RK – Cry Out, Arti Farti
  • 2010: Morris T – Break of Dawn, Rebirth
  • 2009: Planetary Assault Systems – GT , Mote Evolver
  • 2009: Carl Craig – Angel, Planet E Communications
  • 2009: Adam Beyer, Joel Mull – Forming Dies, Drumcode
  • 2008: Ken Ishii – Cubitos De Hielo, 70 Drums
  • 2007: Faze Action – In The Trees, Juno Records
  • 2007: Ten City – That's The Way Love Is, Ibadan Records
  • 2007: Solaris Heights – Vice, Renaissance Records
  • 2007: Len Faki – Rainbow Delta, Ostgut Ton
  • 2006: Julien Jabre – Swimming Places, Defected Records
  • 2006: Copyright – He Is, Defected Records
  • 1999: Beth Orton – Central Reservation, Arista Records
  • 1998: Kerri Chandler – Atmosphere
  • 1998: Faze Action – Moving Cities, F111 / Warner Bros. Records
  • 1993: Nature Soul – Latinize, Ibadan Records

    DJ mixes/ and compilations

  • 2008: Need 2 Soul with Ron Trent, Need2Soul
  • 2007: Pan-African Electro , Ibadan Records
  • 2007: Museum Thalia CD 1 mixed by Jerome Sydenham, New World Records
  • 2006: Space Lab Yellow – Jerome Sydenham Live Vol. 1, Ibadan Records / P-Vine Records
  • 2005: Ibadan People, Ibadan Records
  • 2003: Explosive Hi-Fidelity Sounds, Ibadan Records / BBE
  • 2002: Electric Pussycat, BBE