Future 2 Future is the forty-third album by Herbie Hancock. Hancock reunited with producer Bill Laswell. The two tried to repeat the success of the three previous albums that combine jazz with electronic music.
Content
Hancock collaborated with Bill Laswell, who Hancock had previously worked with on Future Shock. Unlike previous productions, Future2Future is more electronica. Hancock plays conservatively, holding to chords and sweeps. The more intricate sounds on each track are in the drum beats and the use of turntables. Besides Grandmixer DXT, who played an eminent role in the aforementioned productions, who is heard here on "The Essence" that features Chaka Khan on vocals, the providers from the electronica club scene are Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig, A Guy Called Gerald, a jungle and drum and bass protagonist, and another turntabelist, Rob Swift. On the 'jazz side' there are contributions by long-time companions Wayne Shorter and Jack DeJohnette, as well as double bassistCharnett Moffett. There is also a drum track of the late Tony Williams on a composition that carries his name in reverence, accompanied by a static bass line by Bill Laswell, the soprano saxophone of Wayne Shorter and spoken poetry by Dana Bryant. Laswell brought in Ethiopian singer Gigi. Another song features jazz singerImani Uzuri. The last track "Vitual Hornets" refers to an composition from the last album of Hancock's Mwandishi band, Sextant, where Hancock recreates the original sound of the initial buzzing ARP synthesizer motif. After releasing the album Hancock formed a band that took the tracks on tour, and a film of the tour's stop at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood was made and released on DVD as Future 2 Future Live. The concert video features also live versions of his best known songs "Dolphin Dance", "Butterfly", "Rockit" and "Chameleon." For the coupled out song "The Essence", a driving drum and bass track that features Chaka Khan on vocals, several remixes were produced by DJ Krush, LTJ Bukem, and Joe Claussell. They were released on different 12" EPs combined with the original version and sometimes adding "This Is Rob Swift." Future 2 Future and the EP output are the only productions Hancock released on Transparent Music, a label he created in the late 1990s with Chuck Mitchell and David Passick.
Critical reception
AllMusic gave a positive 3/5 review, stating that while the album fails to live up to expectations, it is "an enjoyable exercise in watching one of the greats in jazz music redefine himself with the times once again."
JazzTimes gave no numeric rating, stating that the album lacks focus and the performances are uninspired. The best tracks are the last four instrumentals.
Track listing
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