Critical reception
In NPR , Elizabeth Blair wrote, "For 20 years, the New Orleans band Galactic has made people dance at clubs, festivals, house parties — you name it. 'A first-rate funk band' is how The New York Times describes it. The group's half-dozen musicians hold their own without a regular vocalist. For their ninth album, Into the Deep, they invited several singers to guest star: big names like Mavis Staples and Macy Gray, old friends JJ Grey and David Shaw, and new discoveries like Jamaican-born singer Brushy One String (named for his one-stringed guitar)." [3]
In American Songwriter , Hal Horowitz wrote, "Into the Deep, their eighth studio disc, expands an already eclectic palette based in funk but that also includes liberal doses of hip-hop, jazz, soul, blues and even electronica. Galactic is blissfully unconcerned that every track is different enough to almost obscure their own identity as they continue to create music that's fun, superbly crafted and wildly eclectic." [4]
In AllMusic , James Christopher Monger wrote, "More song-oriented than ever, Into the Deep does a nice job showcasing both the band and the guest vocalists.... Throughout it all, co-founders, producers, and arrangers Ben Ellman and Robert Mercurio sonically map out a NOLA that's as vibrant and forward thinking as it is steeped in the region's rich culture, cementing the band's reputation (20 years in) as both innovators and stalwart defenders of tradition." [5]
In PopMatters , John Garratt wrote, "And so Galactic continues to fly, not into uncharted territory but to the territories that we found before, explored, had fun, left, and sort of forgot about for a while. Bands like Galactic are good for this sort of thing: reviving yesterday's sounds without the gimmicks." [6]
In The Boston Globe , Steve Morse wrote, "New Orleans party band Galactic has hit on a smart formula by releasing albums that showcase multiple vocalists spanning numerous genres, with jammy instrumentals providing extra sauce.... Galactic backs each act with professional, jazz-influenced ease and, on some songs, a hedonistic, dance-rock pulse a la Prince, all the while keeping its Mardi Gras flavor. " [7]
In Glide Magazine, Shawn Donohue wrote, "On Into the Deep the band has polished up the grime from the gutters of the Bywater and made an album more worldly sounding. Less concept, more of just a collection of smooth grooving tracks that touches all the genre labels. While not as structured as their recent successfully offerings it still flows easily and contains some shining moments." [8]
In Blues Blast Magazine, Steve Jones wrote, "Galactic is a staple of the New Orleans music scene, playing a blend of funk and jazz jam band music.... [Into the Deep] is something for those who like a modernistic approach to New Orleans music that has evolved into using hip hop, funk and jazz to deliver a great sound." [9]
In Black Grooves, Anna Polovick wrote, "Into the Deep proves that after twenty years, Galactic still has an indisputable funk sensibility that allows them to create equally excellent ballads, party songs, and instrumental jams all while representing their unique New Orleans sound." [10]
In Tahoe Onstage, Garrett Bethmann wrote, "Galactic has always been a dynamic and thrilling live machine that has come to be a sort of touring ambassador for the definitive musical gumbo of New Orleans.... The band is just going out and representing what it is at this stage in its history, a crack outfit that can pull from myriad influences to create its own unique vision." [11]
