The Police – Synchronicity

Label: A&M Records  |  Catalog #: SP-3735  |  Format: Vinyl LP  |  Year: 1983

Side A Matrix: SP-3735-A-INT-2 X [trumpet logo] C/R MASTERDISK RL MISFI SM8 [EDP logo]

About the Album

Synchronicity is the fifth and final studio album by The Police, released in June 1983. It debuted at number one in both the United States and the United Kingdom, becoming one of the defining records of the decade. Produced by Hugh Padgham and the band, the album marked a bold creative pivot — drawing on the literary and psychological ideas of Carl Jung (whose concept of "synchronicity," the occurrence of meaningful coincidences, gives the record its name) — and fusing post-punk tension with atmospheric new wave textures and sophisticated songwriting.

The album reached a level of cultural saturation rarely achieved in rock history. It spent 17 weeks atop the Billboard 200, earned five Grammy Awards in 1984 — including Album of the Year — and produced some of the most iconic singles of the era. It cemented Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland as one of the most accomplished trios in rock.

Highlights

• "Every Breath You Take" — One of the most recognized songs ever recorded. Its deceptively simple guitar riff and obsessive lyric became an enduring cultural touchstone. Spent 8 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• "Wrapped Around Your Finger" — A lush, moody meditation on power dynamics. Features a hypnotic chord progression from Andy Summers and one of Sting's most controlled vocal performances.
• "King of Pain" — A melancholic, introspective ballad driven by Sting's introspective lyricism and Summers' jangling guitar work. A top 5 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
• "Synchronicity II" — The album's most aggressive track; a propulsive, distortion-heavy counterpoint to the more subdued title track, pairing suburban alienation with the image of an ancient creature rising from a Scottish loch.
• "Tea in the Sahara" — A haunting, spare closer inspired by a passage from Paul Bowles' The Sheltering Sky. Showcases the band at their most atmospheric and restrained.

The Matrix — What It Tells You

The Side A matrix inscription SP-3735-A-INT-2 X [trumpet logo] C/R MASTERDISK RL MISFI SM8 [EDP logo] identifies this as an international pressing (INT) mastered at Masterdisk in New York — the premier mastering house of the era — by RL (Bob Ludwig), one of the most respected mastering engineers in the history of recorded music. The SM8 and EDP references indicate specific lacquer and pressing plant identifiers. Bob Ludwig–mastered pressings of this album are considered highly desirable by audiophiles and collectors for their dynamic range and sonic clarity.

Condition

Record: G — Carefully cleaned with a Spin-Clean record washer and stored in a new inner plastic sleeve. The vinyl has minor scuffs visible under direct light, but played flawlessly on a quality turntable with no skips. Minor pops and crackles were noted during playback, consistent with the visual grade.

Jacket: G — Good condition with the original inner sleeve present, as shown in photos. Please refer to images for a full assessment.

All items are carefully packed for safe shipping. A classic of the new wave era — and an audiophile-worthy pressing to boot.