Weekly Release Spotlight: N.A.S.A.
Posted on 4/06/2009
N.A.S.A.
The Spirit of Apollo
[Anti-]
These guys have been at this for a long time, though it's probably the first time you've heard of them. Zé Gonzales (DJ Zegon) kicked around the Brazilian rap scene in the group Planet Hemp and released a bunch of material for Sony before moving to Los Angeles. Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) is a well known award-winning producer and beat maker. He produced the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Grammy-nominated Show Your Bones and won an award for his work on an Adidas commercial with Karen O. He also teams up from time to time with his brother, Spike Jonze. N.A.S.A., an acronym for North America/South America, combines the musical influences of both continents and is the culmination of years of work between the two producers. The Spirit of Apollo boasts an impressive list of guest artists, including Kanye West, Tom Waits and George Clinton, layered over the eclectically influenced melodies and beats.
The amount of guest artists on this release is what's particularly mind-blowing, especially for a debut album. Though, it's more realistic if you take into account the years that it took to compile these tracks. A favorite is the Cookie Monster/Rowlf the Dog crooning of Tom Waits on the choruses of "Spacious Thoughts" while Cool Keith takes the verses. And how creepy is it that Ol' Dirty Bastard chimes in on "Strange Enough" even though he's been dead for years? Or is it creepier that he's paired with Karen O on the track? And definitely give "Gifted" a listen if you're trying to remember what Kanye West sounds like when he isn't singing like a robot.
The beats are smooth and danceable. The song structures marry the two continents' influences nicely. And the myriad of guest stars is a great treat. Where else are you going to find dead thugs rapping with indie rockers? Or George Clinton dropping a new funk-inspired groove? Or Chuck D and Seu Jorge sharing vocals? The fact that these songs actually sound great and have awesome grooves only adds to the insanity of this release.
Stream: N.A.S.A. - Spacious Thoughts (feat. Tom Waits & Kool Keith)
Written by Andrew Zoellner, Radio K volunteer.