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)

I'd like to defend this album, because between his more mellow jazz albums of the 70s and what he's doing now in 2005-2006, this 1983 album is still one one of my favorites from Herbie Hancock. Herbie took a big risk with going for the hip-hop sound and he succeeded. Every one of the six original songs are dynamite, are edgy and very creative for that period. I still love Rockit, perhaps one of Herbie's finest performances. Its mix of urban jazz and the turntable scratches of hip-hop was very unique. It has some hard hitting beats that could even rival most of Run-DMC and LL Cool J's albums. I couldn't stop playing the 45 single of the single and album versions for several months! It's still played over 2 decades later! The video for that song was phenomenal with the art direction and the marionettes moving to the song's beats. The album's very keyboard oriented, but Hancock kept the jazz style intact on most of the songs. I don't think he sold out,as some purists say. I think this album helped make him a more respected jazz musician and artist later on. Even if the album's massive success took him by surprise, he did it with class and he is still respected today. Very creative, chance-taking and wonderfully performed and done!

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!

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.

Herbie's alway's had his hand on the pulse of music, especially cutting edge stuff. He hooked up with Bill Laswell just when Laswell started an incredible run of "production jobs" that continues on through the 90's, and beyond. It's hard to figure just WHO get's the most credit here. Who cares? If you like it, dig! If you don't think it's "jazzy" enough, that's cool too, because it's very hip-hop/beats oriented (no guest "raps" but some cool soul vocals). A jazz artist incorporating the use of turntables and a whole array of synths and such-- read the liner notes with all the folks who appear here. One can't expect "Kind of Blue" now can you? Get funked up!