Search - Herbie Hancock :: Future Shock

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