Anybody who can bring Tom Waits and US rapper Kool Keith together deserves immense respect. And respect is something that the musical production duo NASA (North America South America) seemingly command in abundance. A cursory glance over the lengthy list of collaborators on the duo's debut album, The Spirit of Apollo, reads like a who's who of idiosyncratic and indeed iconic musical figures from the worlds of hip hop, rock, dance, electro, indie, funk, reggae and pop.

Even in this day and age of cross-musical-pollination the scope and sheer diversity of the participants on The Spirit of Apollo is stunning. Where else would you find the likes of Talking Heads David Byrne and Public Enemy's Chuck D trading lyrical barbs? Or MIA, Santogold, the filthy chipped out electro-rappers Spank Rock and Nick Zinner, guitarist from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, sharing spit (and licks) on the same track.

Elsewhere Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist Karren O duets with Ol Dirty Bastard (Wu Tang Clan) from beyond the grave, funk demigod George Clinton returns from whatever planet he's currently orbiting to put his own stamp on the NASA project, Method Man and Ghostface Killah (also of the Wu Tang Clan) drop verses, the ego lands when Kayne West stops by and Red Hot Chilli Peppers guitarist John Frusciante wiggles away on his six string funk machine. But is this musical version of fantasy football actually any good? Is it possible to get so many weird and wonderful individuals and visionaries onto one CD without diluting their potency? And if not, are we just left staring into one big, disorganised and unconnected mumbo jumbo musical jamboree devoid of purpose or linear direction?

With 18 tracks clocking in at nearly 80 minutes it's certainly a lot to take in. It's also true to say that some of the collaborators get far more game time then other participants who are restricted to fleeting cameo roles. At its worst it's a rag-tag collection of random voices shouting over one another with very little communication between any of the parties concerned as NASA struggle to maintain their focus. Evidently in this space no one can hear anyone else scream over the sound of their own voices. When Sam Spiegel (brother of director Spike Jonze's brother) and Ze Gonzales, the brains behind NASA, do get it right though, the results are worthy of the hyperbole, with the duo crafting dense layers of hip-hop and samba styled crunk and electro.

While they won't be bringing a full travelling circus on the road, the duo will be hitting venues for sets this month, including a show in Cork on Wednesday, July 8 at the Pavilion. It could be the ideal post Kayne party for those wishing to prolong their midweek sojourn.

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