Galactic’s funky, instrumental space odyssey has remained squarely under the radar, despite regular appearances at Bonnaroo (Tennessee’s premier jam-band music festival) and touring with legends like B.B. King. They‘ve brought in vocalists in the past — for a few years, they enlisted the help of Theryl DeClouet for a distinctive New Orleans sound reminiscent of The Meters or Professor Longhair — but never as extensively as on their latest release, From the Corner to the Block.
            This time, Galactic is fusing their grooves with a massive roster of artists, ranging from the well-known (Lyrics Born, Z-Trip) to the homegrown (Trombone Shorty, Big Chief Monk Boundreaux). The funk and hip hop crossover works on a few tracks, such as  “…And I’m Out” with Mr. Lif and “Think Back” with Chali 2na. Elsewhere, like “No Way” with Lateef the Truth Speaker and “Hustle Up” with Boots Riley, neither the vocals nor the beat seem to carry the song.
            The two pure Galactic songs, “Fanfare” and “Sidewalk Stepper,” give the band the chance to focus on their own style. Their sound now resides somewhere between Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters and Herbaliser’s Blow Your Headphones — you hear the latter’s trademark bass lines and inventive percussion, and the former’s skilful Rhodes throughout. The songs are designed to stand alone, but taken as a whole, From the Corner to the Block struggles to find a balance between groove and pop appeal.