Product Details

* Audio CD (February 8, 2000)
* Original Release Date: 1983
* Number of Discs: 1
* Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
* Label: Sony
* Catalog Number: 65962
* ASIN: B00004HYL8
* Average Customer Review: based on 10 reviews. (Write a review.)
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,496 in Music (See Top Sellers in Music)
Yesterday: #22,281 in Music

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1. Rockit Listen
2. Future Shock Listen
3. T. F. S. Listen
4. Earthbeat Listen
5. Autodrive Listen
6. Rough Listen
7. Rockit (Mega Mix) Listen
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

From Jazziz
Put on your parachute pants, roll up the sleeves on your Members Only jacket, and get ready to do The Worm. That's right: Our first track is "Rockit" from Herbie Hancock's crossover smash, Future Shock. When it was released in 1983, "Rockit" helped bring DJ scratching (courtesy of DJ DST) to mainstream America through its heavy rotation on top-40 radio and MTV. The song won five MTV awards and a Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental. It also helped launch the career of producer Bill Laswell, who wrote the liner notes for this reissue.

--- JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.
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First tag: What To Be In 1983 (Andre S. Grindle "Andre' Grindle" on Dec 4, 2005)
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Not All That, October 23, 2000
Reviewer: Scott McFarland (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews
The thing that shocked me about this was the degree to which Bill Laswell, in the liner notes, appropriates much of the credit for the music's content and states matter-of-factly that Hancock, the nominal artist, was just along for the ride. I pretty much figured that to be the case, but it's not nice to state that so publicly ...

The music is neither Laswell's best or Hancock's best, though I'm sure they remain proud of the better tracks - "Rockit" and "Earth Beat". Most of the album is meager R&B filler though. If you like "Rockit", you might want to check out the Laswell-produced "Golden Palominos" debut from 1983 that helped pioneer that sound.

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DO YOU NEED TO ASK?, October 23, 2005
Reviewer: Angel Ortiz "MUSIC MAN" (BROOKLYN, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
IF THE NAME HERBIE HANCOCK DOESN'T GET YOU TO BUY IT,THEN "ROCK IT' MUST. REMEMBER THE VIDEO?

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
FUNKY AS YOU LIKE, June 15, 2004
Reviewer: A music fan
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! ( )