n.a.s.a.

L.A. producers Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon certainly know how to pull in top-notch collaborators. From John Frusciante and Tom Waits to Kanye and M.I.A., just reading The Spirit of Apollo's track list gives goosebumps. Just imagine an aging David Byrne bobbing his head to Chuck D in the recording booth. All this genre blending sounds promising, but do too many chefs spoil the stew?

N.A.S.A., which stands for North America South America, stays true to their name by attempting to fuse Brazilian beats with some of the greatest vocalists recording in the States. Unfortunately, some recycled Jurassic 5 beats fill in the gaps between more creative rhythms, imparting a less adventurous but distinctly West Coast style throughout Apollo.

In "Hip Hop," the laid-back vocals of Slim Kid Tre glide over a Cali summer beat as KRS-One laments the commercialization of hip-hop with flows like, "I try to tell these kids respect the architect/But all y'all want to collect the check." It's not bad, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Weezy/Jack Johnson single.

Other tracks hit a little harder. On "Gifted," Kanye brings along his trademark upbeat and frenzied bass. The post-Heartbreaks Louis Vuitton Don shines while staying within Apollo's dark, spacey context. Lykke Li's airy chorus and Santogold's all-too-short verse round out the club-tastic track.

Despite its star-studded line-up, The Spirit of Apollo proves its cohesiveness with a genuine hip hop message. But where Apollo's genius comes through is in balancing N.A.S.A.'s own sound with the signature beats and styles of their established performers.

If listening to Girl Talk is like expertly working the tuning dial of contemporary radio while tearing down the highway, Clean and Zegon's Apollo takes us late-night low-riding down Sunset Blvd with RZA and Del the Funkee Homosapien rapping while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O touches up in the flip down mirror. Call it far-fetched. Call it overambitious. But don't call it generic.