Spirit of Apollo mixes music genres

Several well-known artists collaborated on the album.

By Jon Ingram

Published Feb. 9, 2009

Spirit of Apollo, the debut album by collaboration band N.A.S.A., is one of the most epic and influential of the last decade.

Famous worldwide producer and composer Squeak E. Clean and Brazilian pro-skateboarder turned award-winning producer DJ Zegon engineered N.A.S.A., an acronym which stands for North America/South America.

The project was originally conceived by the two producers at a party in Brazil and was intended to send a message of world unity. It became a universal and culturally diverse record that grew beyond their wildest dreams. With artists such as Tom Waits and Ol' Dirty Bastard and production input from the likes of Kanye West and M.I.A., this record is a perfect example of the amount of brilliance that can accumulate from a collaboration of musical genius.

Many of the tracks range between reggae, soul, gangsta rap, rock n' roll and jazz but keep a constant hip-hop heartbeat throughout.

The lineup on this album is impressive and responsible for Spirit of Apollo's success. More than 35 of the most original and respected North and South American contributors to the modern music movement grace this record, and each provides a creative mindset while using broad understanding of music to mesh brilliantly with the other talents.

The track "Spacious Thoughts," perhaps the most obvious display of diversity on this album, features rapper Kool Keith along with Tom Waits and provides the listener with artists three decades apart in one song.

It is the track "Way Down," by RZA, Barbie Hatch and John Frusciante that really grasps the true beauty of Apollo. In another display of production perfection, RZA reflects the softness of Barbie Hatch's melodic vocals with acoustic guitars and intense synthesizers to create a fundamentally flawless song.

Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon conceptualized a universal ode to culturally diverse music as well as a message for worldwide acceptance, and that is exactly what they got with Apollo. Many of the tracks have strong messages of wisdom and positivity. In "The People Tree," Gift Of Gab (of legendary rap group Blackalicious) preaches the importance of human growth and individuality and succeeds in capturing the true essence of this record.

There has not been a collaboration group this big in recent memory, and this is why N.A.S.A. is so important for music. It is seldom that different genres of music cross paths, but the chances that music from different countries will interact are even more unlikely. So many listeners only tune in to a certain style of music, and it is always a breath of fresh air for true music-lovers when they are able to listen to a single song on an album and take in the excellence of each genre.

This album is definitely something that should be listened to by many. Although N.A.S.A. isn't very big yet, it is quite possible that they will achieve a pretty decent level of fame both because of the major artists present and a tour that is planned. Look for N.A.S.A.'s Apollo on radios and award shows because there is a good chance they will be on both in the near future.