“Cook,” the upcoming album of funk band Lettuce, expands the group’s musical repertoire through experimentation with new genres and artistic influences, while maintaining their signature quirky sound.

The album, which will be released on Dec. 2, contains 16 tracks, including four interludes. All but two tracks are instrumental, allowing the group’s unique instrumentation to shine. The two vocal tracks are a great display of member Nigel Hall’s talent, giving the album sonic dimension and depth.

The group’s website describes how international travel and their past projects have had a major influence on the sound of the album, including their recent collaborations with GZA and Ziggy Marley. The influence of these experiences on their sound is apparent in “Cook,” making it a memorable one.

One of the biggest strengths of the album is the way it revives the sounds of older acts. The fifth track, “Rising to the Top,” is evocative of ’70s soul and R&B, closely akin to Earth, Wind & Fire’s discography. The song’s use of synthesizer, layered harmonies and soulful vocals makes it a standout on the album.

“Keep On” is also notable for paying tribute to legendary Bay Area R&B band and horn section Tower of Power, with its bandleader Emilio Castillo co-writing the track.

The passionate vocals in these tracks are an asset to both the song and album as a whole, which is unfortunate given the album’s primarily instrumental track list. Nonetheless, the band’s innovation brings a dimension of emotion to their instrumental tracks.

Track 12, “Storm’s Coming,” is another example of how Lettuce explores the evolution of funk. The percussion is influenced by hip-hop, and the instrumental melodies are reminiscent of sample-heavy ’90s hip-hop music groups, distinctively blending this genre into Lettuce’s classic style.

Genre exploration is a major highlight of the album. Lettuce has long been known for its creativity and innovation, incorporating various new elements into funk, and this album is no exception. In addition to hip-hop, R&B and soul, other genres like reggae and jazz are also infused.

The first track, “Grewt Up,” is a highlight of the album for this reason. It features an upbeat, reggae-style, syncopated rhythm, coupled with funk-style wailing instrumentation and a super groovy baseline. The combination of reggae and funk elements creates a unique and innovative funk song that is a great album opener. It’s unsurprising that this track comes after Lettuce’s collaboration with reggae legend Ziggy Marley.

The slower, jazzier track “Breathe” is another great jazz-funk fusion song, a more mellow tune that allows the trumpet and saxophone to shine through.

The group’s collaboration with the Colorado Symphony, whose recording was released in February, also seems to have influenced some of their new songs. Tracks like “Ghost of Yest” and “Breathe” both have a densely layered orchestral quality that Lettuce blends seamlessly into their syncopated base.

International influences are also apparent. Particularly, “7 Tribes” begins with a double harmonic scale, a scale more commonly used in Middle Eastern, Indian and North African music, among others. The international influences bring something new to the traditionally American genre of funk. For example, “The Matador” uses percussion that is reminiscent of Latin music at times, breathing new life into the genre.

Despite all the non-funk influences, “Cook” is still a clear homage to the classic style of the genre in many ways. “Gold Tooth” highlights the collaboration between electric guitar and brass and is a definite descendant of the classic funk originators like Little Richard.

Impressively, despite the varied influences of the album, this core funk sound is woven throughout all the tracks. This consistency, along with the transition “Sesshins” tracks, makes the album a satisfying, cohesive piece of work.

Lettuce manages to impressively expand the genre of funk with their instrumental-heavy album. While more lyrical tracks could potentially add more emotional messaging and meaning, their fusion of different genres, use of unique instruments and clear non-funk influences nonetheless make the album a groovy and pleasant listening experience.