The Future Sound-The Whole Shabang, Vol. 1

posted on Sep 19, 2005 The Future Sound - Lady/ What's A Bro To Do? (Link Expired)
The Future Sound - Flashback Relay And the Whole Shabang (Wig Out Mix) (Link Expired)

The Future Sound-The Whole Shabang, Vol. 1

The Future Sound
The Whole Shabang, Vol. 1
Atlantic Records, 1991

In the early 90s, The Future Sound (of New Rochelle, New York) were wide-eyed new jack signees on big time Atlantic Records managed (along with Original Flavor) by the brothers Darien and Damon Dash (later of Roc-A-Fella Records fame). Shabang is an undeservedly overlooked work that teems with layered, bouncy rhythms and fantastic, mellifluous rhymes. Emcees Flashback and Relay trade the wordiest of verses in refreshingly unassuming tones that invite flattering, if constraining comparisons to Tribe and De La. Although plainly indebted to the D.A.I.S.Y. Age’s style of speak and coolly narcotic vibe, The Future Sound crew innovates on its influences by sprinkling a measure of humble populism into its ghetto futuristic jams.

Shabang’s distinctiveness lies in its abstruse accessibility, the way it replicates the sweetly melodic eccentricity of “Plug Tunin’,” infuses it with the dirty club groove of “Youthful Expression” and leaves the ceremony in the hands of a couple of long-winded, idealistic, pop-culture obsessed everymen. 3XDope and the UMCs released similarly spirited, unconventional debut long-players that have since aged rather nicely, but neither group was half as adept as TFS at smuggling cerebral subject matter into grooves built to bump so lovely.

After Critical Beatdown, Shabang is the closest approximation of Rammelzee’s psychedelic freestyles ever committed to wax during rap’s Middle Skool. Flashback and Relay flow with no end in sight while referencing TV shows, records, and books at a breakneck pace rarely achieved by the Native Tongues or their myriad associates. Unlike the frantic namedropping employed by Das EFX, the allusions on this record provide the lengthy raps with additional meaning and substantive context. Like most any rap group then or now, TFS reserve numerous moments for burning wack emcees, keeping the party moving, or speaking on trifling honies. However, they also devote a significant portion of this hugely eclectic, experimental record to a straightforward and unpretentious dialogue with their audience about everyday realities, including those of the harsh and unpleasant variety.

Even the most comprehensible track, the Sly Stone beatjack “The Function,” sees the duo implore the party people to let the music take control and yet remain open enough to digest the heady lyrics. It’s a most difficult challenge for certain, as the sounds range from the soulful and noisy “Flashback Relay and the Whole Shabang” to the danceable but dizzying “Lady/What a Bro To Do?” to the sparkling pop of “Pixie Groove.” Nearly every track is a highly distracting head-nodder and TFS get infinite dap for refusing to dumb any of their material down or cakewalk their way to clarity.

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Comments for "The Future Sound-The Whole Shabang, Vol. 1"

  1. Great review of a duo that’s been overlooked and underappreciated for years. (If I remember correctly, TFS’ debut scored 3.5 mikes in The Source.) Unfortunately, Atlantic mismanaged TFS and they were lost in the shadow of labelmates Das EFX & Original Flava.

    One small correction… they weren’t Harlem-bred. Dave & Dave grew up together in New Rochelle (a.k.a. Now Rule). In fact, “Star Struck” is a knock at fellow NRHS alums Brand Nubian — to which, Sadat X and Lord J responded with “Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down.”
    — furf    Dec 9, 01:21 AM   
  2. Yeah I wrote this a while back and I’m not even sure why I have them as being from Harlem when they clearly shout out Now Rule in the liner notes. Thanks.

    “Don’t forget Westchester…” Pete Rock

    And great little tidbit regarding their beef with Brand Nubian, I had no idea.
    — R.H.S.    Dec 9, 01:28 AM   

  3. Correction: Damen and Darien Dash are cousins, not brothers.

    Great post, especially since this was one of the first rap records I worked as a young attorney in the music game. Damen (yes, of Roc A Fella fame) and Darein also signed Orignal Flavor to Atlantic simultaneously. This was when Clark Kent was A&R at East/West and introduced a young brooklyn rapper named Jay-Z to Damon who then gave him a shot on the Original Flavor single “Can I Get Open”.


    — Combat Jack    Jun 9, 09:16 AM   

  4. I love this album (it’s in the headphones as I type) and I always thought they were the next step up from Original Flavor, this album came out at a good time but never got the push it should have, I kind of new there would never be a Volume 2 either, I used to have the long cardboard cover on my bedroom wall.


    — Jaz    Apr 5, 09:35 AM   

  5. Ahead of our time maybe. No Volume II …hell no!!! I’m bumpin’ Vol. II,III-XXVIIO in my 60 gigabyte player now.
    The record industry had to implode before ya’ll saw T.F.S. again. Now we call the shots. I.S.O.M.
    Independent State Of Music


    — Flashback    Sep 4, 12:44 AM   
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