Aldo Nova was silent for a number of years due to contract issues and such, but all those issues are settled and as a result, we have been getting a ton of new music from Aldo. The famed singer of “Fantasy” has put out 4 CDs over the last year. First was a 10 song E.P. of his rock opera ‘The Life & Times of Eddie Gage’ which is a two hour opera, but here we get a brief intro with the 10 songs…and it was great. Then he did ‘Reloaded 2.0’ which was a re-imagining of a bunch of hits. Then we get two 3-song E.P.’s. First is ‘Short Stories’ which we reviewed first and now we get a 3-Song E.P. called ‘Sonic Hallucinations’ which will now review.

From Aldo’s website we get the following: Aldo Nova creates a sonic tapestry that brings you his vision of 3 Extraterrestrial Symphonies of the future. The album was Composed, Performed, Produced, Arranged, Engineered, and Mixed all by Aldo Nova. This is an instrumental album and Aldo goes all out with bringing us some interesting music and whether he was high as a kite while doing it or sober, it is certainly different. I do love the artwork on here with the galaxy and Aldo breaking free from it.

The first track is called “Calling All Aliens” and it is all synthesizers and there is so much going on. We do get a killer electronic drum beat that drives the song and some angelic (or alien) backing vocals that add an extra flavor to the track. But it is what he does on the keys that is the magic here. He is able to create some great melodies that give us so much flavor to the song and let’s it stick in your head. Close Encounters of the Third Kind it is not, it is better than those simple tones as this is a lush landscape of sound. I’m sure the Aliens will answer back and come down to Earth with open arms.

Then we get “Send Out the Clowns” and as much I enjoyed the first track, this one totally lost me because it sounds like a cross between vaudeville or carnival and a Christmas carol. I feel like I landed in the middle of The Nutcracker Suite at times. It is too happy and jovial, but I guess it is supposed to be as it is calling in the Clowns, but clowns to me are dark and scary creatures like in IT. Nothing happy about them. Seriously though, the song is a little bothersome for the whole Chrismassy vibe to it and loses me. I can’t get past it, but his playing is still sensational.

But thankfully we still have another song. “Extraterrestrial Dubstep” comes out of the gate swinging like a dark, ominous cloud of anger. The heavy, deep keyboard effects sound like a monster approaching. Then the keyboards almost sing as his playing comes out beautifully with so much luxurious texture that brings the song to life still with those ominous elements in the background not letting you forget they are there. The two styles blend perfectly together to bring a really cool track that makes this no ordinary piece, but something interesting and intriguing that makes you want to play it again and again. It does feel a little extraterrestrial.

I was a little worried about an instrumental E.P. about sonic hallucinations. I was worried this might be a drug induced experiment gone wrong, but it worked more than it didn’t. The opening and final tracks were both so full of texture and color that you couldn’t help be drawn in and get fully engrossed in the out of this world ride. A slight miss with the Clown song, but otherwise more great stuff by Aldo Nova! And I am still so glad he’s back as he was sorely missed. My Overall Score is a 3.5 out of 5.0 Stars. Keep bring us new stuff Aldo!!

And if you want to watch the podcast I did with Tim Durling on Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, you can click below. We went through the albums in maybe a little more colorful detail.