Herbie Hancock
Perfect Machine

Third and final album for the Rockit band from the award-winning duo Hancock-Laswell, following the excellent "Future Shock" and the mediocre "Sound System," they bring out "Perfect Machine" (1988). 

The trend remains the same: futuristic-minimal rhythms, space effects, robo-vocoder.. the novelty lies in the return of the funk sounds typical of Hancock's 1970s repertoire: the grooves in particular are syncopated and overwhelming almost like the best "Thrust" and "Head Hunters," also thanks to bassist -ex Funkadelic- Bootsy Collins and the vocals of Sugarfoot (Ohio Players). Herbie moves between piano, vocoder, and synthesizers that have now entered the museum of vintage, programmed to give a more pronounced space sound compared to its predecessors that highlighted above all the repetitive beat of drum machines.

Right from the first track, "Perfect Machine", this funkier touch is noticeable, the groove is stunning: Hancock places a few but incisive notes of pad and synth playing as if it were a synth-pop piece; the scratches of Grandmixer D.S.T. are once again similar to those of Rockit, but this time they manage to perfectly complement the super-stylish vocoderized vocal and the quasi-industrial rhythms (richer than usual) programmed with the historic Fairlight by Nicky Skopelitis, who brings out a great beat even on "Obsession", a track led by a great Sugarfoot on the mic, supported by a solid base made up of primordial glitches, lasers, and straightforward scratching that completes the rhythm, serving as a sort of snare. A very flashy video is also shot for the more catchy and almost naive "Vibe Alive" where once again Sugarfoot proves perfect for the band's digital funk! On "Beat Wise" Collins' electric bass mixes with Mike Lane's moog-bassline, the double-bass effect is excellent in completing a groove that is once again rich and driving, also strong of a very present Hancock in the accompaniment phase (and he will never be there very much).

The classic "Maiden Voyage" is revisited here in an electro key: the rhythm is successful, and several excellent cues can be found, especially regarding noise and vocoder setting; amid the futuristic delirium, Hancock brings out the old Fazioli and delivers the only solo of the entire album: needless to say, it's not very suitable for the context.. nevertheless, one could say the remake is not excessively profane. It closes with "Chemical Residue", an electro-fusion ballad that stands out for its quasi-Gregorian choirs and a very original rhythm section with minimal sounds imitating the classic jazz ride pattern.

If you want to delve deeper into Hancock's electro-breakers-oriented sound but found Rockit too repetitive, this is the most suitable and accessible album.