"FutureSex/LoveSound" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake for his second studio album, ''

FutureSex/LoveSounds ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, released on September 8, 2006 by Jive Records and Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba. Following a three-year writing hiatus, Timberlake conceived ...

'' (2006). It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and

Nate "Danja" Hills Floyd Nathaniel Hills (born February 22, 1982), professionally known as Danja (), is an American record producer and songwriter from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Starting off as a co-producer for Timbaland, he has since then created an extensive cat ...

. The song was produced following Timberlake's two-year hiatus from the music industry, when he felt "burnt out" after the release of his debut solo album '' Justified'' in 2002. "FutureSex/LoveSound" incorporates elements of new wave and

industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Cromagnon, Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten ...

into its production. "FutureSex/LoveSound" peaked at number 13 on the '' Billboard'' Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. It was included on the

set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...

of Timberlake's second worldwide tour

FutureSex/LoveShow The FutureSex/LoveShow was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It showcased his second studio album, ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). The tour grossed $127.8 million. It was the third highest-grossing concert ...

(2007).

Background and production

After the release of his debut solo album '' Justified'' in 2002, Timberlake thought he "lost his voice" in the sense that he did not like what he was doing. He felt "burnt-out" after ''Justified''; this partly changed his career's direction, and he took a break from the music industry and instead appeared in films. The first role he took during this time was as a journalist in the thriller '' Edison Force'', filmed in 2004 and released on July 18, 2006. He also appeared in the films '' Alpha Dog'', '' Black Snake Moan'', Richard Kelly's ''

Southland Tales ''Southland Tales'' is a 2006 American dystopian comedy thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly. The film features an ensemble cast including Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, and Justin ...

'', and voiced Prince Artie Pendragon in the animated film ''

Shrek the Third ''Shrek the Third'' (also known as ''Shrek 3'') is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book '' Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The se ...

'', released on May 18, 2007. When he felt inspired to compose songs again, he did not choose to reunite with his former band

'NSYNC NSYNC (, ; also stylized as *NSYNC or 'N Sync) was an American boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to Europea ...

, although he considered it after his first record. Instead, he went to ''Justified'' collaborator Timothy "

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...

" Mosley's studio in

Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...

to begin sessions for his second album. However, neither of them had an idea of what the album would be–no plan for it and even a title. "FutureSex/LoveSound" was written and produced by Timbaland, Nate "Danja" Hills and Timberlake himself. The song was recorded by Jimmy Douglas, while its mixing was done by Douglas with Timbaland at The Hit Factory Criteria in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

. The keys were played by Danja, who also provided the drums with Timbaland. Paul Blake played the guitar and Timberlake sang the background vocals.

Composition

"FutureSex/LoveSound" incorporates elements of new wave and

into its production. It was written in the key of

F♯ minor F-sharp minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative major is A major and its parallel major is F-sharp major (or enharmonically G-flat major). T ...

, in

common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...

, with a

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

of 104

beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ...

. Timberlake's vocal range spans from the low note of A₃ to the high note of G♯₅. Timberlake sings in a "muted whisper slink" and his distorted voice "drones" over a "very produced" beat. Bernard Zuel of ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' stated that Timberlake morphs into "

Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...

at his most lizard-like". According to Spence D. of

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

, the beat is a "throwback from the future past of disco's demented dimension". The song contains a "rolling" synth bassline and "truncated" percussion, that according to Zuel, comes across as both "alluring and ever-so-slightly sinister". It contains "slow breaks", that according to Jamil Ahmad of musicOMH, "wrap this record round you like walking into an exclusive club with a million dollar sound system – you know you are going to have one of those nights". The pace of the song changes with its chorus, which Mikey MiGo cited as being "a bit off setting". "FutureSex/LoveSound" is "brimming over with attitude, sharp beats and rhythm", according to Linda McGee of

RTÉ.ie RTÉ.ie is the brand name and home of Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ)'s online activities, located at the URL https://www.rte.ie/. The site began publishing on 26 May 1996. According to RTÉ, it operates on an entirely com ...

. The song, which was described as being "suavely portentous" by

Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...

's Tim Finney, was cited as being a mixture between "the carnal strut" of Nine Inch Nails' " Closer" and the "masochistic flutter" of the

Junior Boys Junior Boys are a Canadian electronic pop group, founded in 1999 in Hamilton, Ontario by Jeremy Greenspan and Johnny Dark. Dark left the project shortly after, and was replaced by engineer Matt Didemus. The duo initially gained critical praise ...

. Finney said the song "derives its charm" from its "lofty" aspirations, "like a familiar lover staging an elaborately exaggerated seduction". According to Alexis Petridis of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', "FutureSex/LoveSound" and the other opening songs of the album are heavily influenced by

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

's ''

Diamond Dogs ''Diamond Dogs'' is the eighth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 24 May 1974 through RCA Records. Bowie produced the album and recorded it in early 1974 at Olympic and Island Studios in London and Ludolph Studios i ...

'' (1974). The song sounds "horny" which can be seen through the lines "Slide a little bit closer to me, little girl / Daddy’s on a mission to please." The chorus of the song reminded 411mania's Mikey MiGo of

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

's "

New Power Generation The New Power Generation, also known as The NPG, was the backing band of musician Prince from 1990 to 2013. They were replaced by 3rdeyegirl as his backing band in 2013. In 2015, the New Power Generation reunited as Prince's backing band for ...

Critical response

Mikey MiGo of 411mania wrote that the song is a "welcomed change" from Timberlake's past work. She stated that the song "has qualities of Prince that I've never seen anyone muster up before". Amanda Murray of Sputnikmusic called the song "musically and melodically great", but criticized its lyrics. She wrote that the lyrics sound like the dialogue of a "low-rent porn film", highlighting the lines: "She's pressed up on me; I think she's ready to blow?" and "All I need is a moment alone, to give you my tongue and get you out of control". According to Murray, "It makes one question exactly what films Timberlake was starring in during his sabbatical." She concluded that "FutureSex/LoveSound" establishes a pattern for the rest of ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'': "infectiously catchy and in many cases accomplished pop music, marred by retardedly retarded lyrics". In a review of ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'', Ben Williams of '' New York'' cited the album's first five tracks, including "FutureSex/LoveSound", as updating the early 1980s

Minneapolis sound The Minneapolis sound is a subgenre of funk rock with elements of new wave and synth-pop, that was pioneered by Minneapolis, Minnesota-based musician Prince in the late 1970s. Its popularity was given a boost throughout the 1980s thanks to Princ ...

: "tense drum machines, high-pitched synth squiggles and staccato funk bass lines". While reviewing the album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

noted that the first three songs of the album include the word "sex" in their titles, "as if mere repetition of the word will magically conjure a sex vibe, when in truth it has the opposite effect: it makes it seem that Justin is singing about it because he's not getting it." Lucy Davies of

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio ...

stated that it is initially "difficult to listen to the lyrics of the opening tracks and give an objective opinion". She wrote that it is like Timberlake is "trying to find redeemable qualities about some guy who has zero social skills and stares at women on his own from the corner of a bar. Only he seems to have found some similarly unreconstructed creepy friends shouting words of encouragement to his clunky chat-up lines, like Timbaland".

Live performances

"FutureSex/LoveSound" was used as the opening song on Timberlake's

in 2007. His performance in New York City is featured on the singer's video album '' FutureSex/LoveShow: Live from Madison Square Garden'' (2007). Timberlake performed the song at DIRECTV Super Saturday Night on February 2, 2013, in New Orleans. Prior to the 2013 Grammy Awards, Timberlake held a concert at the

Hollywood Palladium The Hollywood Palladium is a theater located at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. It was built in a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style and includes an dance floor including a mezzanine and a floor level with room for up to 4,000 ...

in Los Angeles. The singer performed "FutureSex/LoveSound" in a medley with "

Need You Tonight "Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, ''Kick'', as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It ...

" (1987) by INXS and his single " LoveStoned/I Think She Knows" (2007).

Credits and personnel

;Recording and mixing *Recorded at Thomas Crown Studios, Virginia Beach; mixed at The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL. ;Personnel *

Songwriting A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...

– Justin Timberlake, Tim Mosley, Nate "Danja" Hills *

Production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

– Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Nate "Danja" Hills *Recording - Jimmy Douglass *Mixing – Jimmy Douglas, Timbaland *Keys – Nate "Danja" Hills *Drums – Nate "Danja" Hills, Timbaland *Guitar – Paul Blake *Background vocals – Justin Timberlake Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'', Jive Records.

Charts

Following the release of the album, "FutureSex/LoveSound" did not enter the US '' Billboard'' Hot 100, but peaked at number 13 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:FutureSex LoveSound 2006 songs Justin Timberlake songs Song recordings produced by Danja (record producer) Song recordings produced by Timbaland Songs written by Justin Timberlake Songs written by Timbaland Songs written by Danja (record producer) Song recordings produced by Justin Timberlake