Future Shock [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Herbie Hancock | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 8, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1983
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00004HYL8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,445 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Rockit

2. Future Shock

3. T. F. S.

4. Earthbeat

5. Autodrive

6. Rough

7. Rockit (Mega Mix)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The three electronic, hip-hop-influenced albums Herbie Hancock recorded during the 1980s--of which Future Shock was the first, followed by Sound System and Perfect Machine--have been the most maligned by fans of his enormously influential '60s-era jazz work. The reissue of all three albums, each newly remastered with bonus mixes and new liner notes, makes it clear Hancock was much more than simply a jazz pianist reaching for a pop crossover audience. To be sure, Hancock got his pop hit with Future Shock's "Rockit," and there's plenty on Future Shock that sounds dated, from the early 80's synthesizer tones to the almost consciously stiff-sounding hip-hop beats that permeate every track. But dig a little deeper, and it's clear this is supremely intelligent dance music, with a combination of producer-bassist Bill Laswell's Kraftwerk-influenced industrial production and Latin percussionist Daniel Ponce's Bata drum, Pete Cosey's screeching guitar--which echoes his work with Miles Davis's 1970s band--Sly Dunbar's rock-solid funk drumming, and Grand Mixer D.S.T.'s radical (for the time) turntable scratching. And, of course, there's "Rockit", the track that introduced a generation of young listeners to Hancock and break-dancing robots in music videos. All in all, a reissue well worth revisiting. --Ezra Gale

Product Description

In a radical step towards funk 'n' fusion, Herbie overhauled his sound to create this masterpiece of mechanized textures and rigid rhythms. Rockit conquered MTV in 1983; it's joined by Earth Beat; Rough; Future Shock; TFS ; a bonus Rockit remix, and Autodrive , a groovy track complete with jazz licks on a grand piano!

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars overcompressed remastering, March 10, 2004

By 

rgmicroq - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Shock (Audio CD)

Musically, I would give this CD 5 stars for 'Rockit'
the seminal track that fused DJ scratching with Herbie's
jazz tinged analog synthesizer experiments over a drum
machine. The amazing remix 'Rockit (Megamix)' is also
quite stunning with some very creative use of samples
(ahead of its time).

The problem is that whoever remastered the music follows
the modern trend of overcompressing the music, draining
all dynamic range out of it to increase the apparent loudness.
This makes the music jump out at you, but it's very
tiresome on the ears and drains the life out of it.
Personally, I can't even listen to the CD anymore.

I would recommend prospective buyers pick up one of the old
school hip hop compilations with Rockit on it instead
(the other tracks on the LP/CD haven't aged as well)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FUNKY AS YOU LIKE, June 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Future Shock (Audio CD)

I bought this album when it came out as an experiment and at first I really didn't know what to think. It was just completely alien to me being a teenage metalhead. Over the following weeks however, I became addicted to it, playing it regularly- something I've done ever since.

Rockit is fairly representative of the albums electro/hip hop content but other tracks such as Earthbeat and Rough go much deeper to incorporate ambient and even world music. The title track is like electro vs. a rather camp P-funk!

The main strength of this album for me is that has a completely unique atmosphere that it maintains throughout. It is rather like a strange alien landscape- it provides excellent escapism because of the inhuman feel created by the stiff rhythms and huge warm soundscapes. FUNK is the key word here, meaning that the album has only dated in an academic sense.

It is impossible to turn off. It is definately recommended for the car. In my opinion the Rockit megamix is the only track that has dated to the point of embarassment- the title gives it away! Every other track though remains classic electro. F-F-F-F-Fresh!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I, Robot, January 26, 2007

By 

Bicycle Day - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Future Shock (Audio CD)

The legs of one of the robots in the fantastic video for Rockit says it all; grooving to the funky beat while moving in a tight circle, keeping in step with the turntable scratches and driving the beat where dub, hip-hop and jazz became a new dynamic in the studio. Everybody dance now!

Future Shock was a new sensation when released in early 1983, as Herbie Hancock (and his Rockit band) & Bill Laswell teamed up to deliver electronics with funk, fusion and a sprinkling of avant-garde.

Rockit garnered a Grammy award for best R&B instrumental performance, while the video captured five awards - including Video of the Year - in the first MTV Video Music Awards show.

The CD has five cuts sandwiched between Rockit and Rockit (Mega Mix), the latter not on the original release. A true gem is Future Shock, a Curtis Mayfield composition. Earth Beat and Rough pump the funk through the speakers, while Hancock lets the jazz notes do the talking in T.F.S. and Autodrive.

That the collaboration of Hancock and Laswell was unable to reproduce the magic in subsequent releases speaks greatly about the quality found in Future Shock.