This CD, as with the previous release, Poles, utilizes Hugo on a number of instruments, primarily accompanied by the lovely Jessica Lehto, a Swedish singer who works with him and other music producers and is a voice that is remembered. However, on this CD there are a number of additional musicians of note who contribute on individual cuts. Among the musicians are David Ragsdale , Tadashi Goto , Shawn Gordon , and Chris Brown. There are also a number of guest vocalists including Gaby Koss , Antonella , Zara , and Cheryl Childs . It takes a lot of musicians to make this much music and this is a first class group. The CD itself has a website  that covers all this information and more, and includes many of the absolutely beautiful graphics found on the CD and in other locations. This is a total multimedia production, music, graphics, video, everything you can imagine. And all of it done at the top of the range. If we’d have had this in the 60s, I don’t think the Dead Heads could have handled it. There’d have been ODs all over the place. Way too much stimulation for the drug altered state prevalent at that time. Or so I’m told.

The music follows the fantasy directions that serve to define most of Hugo’s work. And Hugo has an active imagination. The Factory of Dreams project, which has been responsible for this production and the previous one, Poles, is only one of several developmental projects Hugo has been involved with. SONIC PULSAR was a previous band that worked on similar material and evolved into PROJECT CREATION. The later had a specific focus and is working towards the completion of a trilogy. Topics there are equally interesting, especially the final installment which has a focus on an intelligent ocean. The musicians vary from the present work; however, Jessica Lehto is expected to be a part of this last production.

Topically, A Strange Utopia revolves around a number of bizarre worlds, all having evolved from the imagination of the author. As in the previous effort, some work on the bright side, some feature a darker component. Hugo’s into a Yin and Yang thing. The argument is that you can only know good by being able to contrast it to the bad, and that’s the idea here. However, this assessment can go deeper. For instance, on Slow Motion World, we are introduced to a world that moves in slow motion, it’s a place that slows down enough for people to be able to appreciate and enjoy. Of course, this speaks to our own realities as well, and here’s where the fantasy meets reality. Lyrically, Jessica sings:

Would that it could actually work that way. Sonic Sensations  goes in another direction. Here, the world is one of music, and this is one where Hugo can relate most clearly. The music is more romantic, more atmospheric. The lead in flows into a keyboard selection of which is followed by the overlaid vocals of Jessica. This is something of an experimental sound and the video takes us to a world of sensations, one where the music takes us deeply into the senses. Guitars and drums have their place, as do other instruments and vocal arrangements, you get the full Monte here. Again the lyrics introduce the concept and guide us into the fantasy of another reality:

The music of Strange Utopia, and there’s a lot of it here, a total of 14 songs, is as interesting as the concepts that are presented. As mentioned above, there are a lot of guest musicians, and they were given full freedom to experiment and get into the worlds they were presenting. The music itself is described as symphonic metal. It is more complex than the previous release. The guitars are a bit heavier as are the drums. Hugo talks about the interaction between instruments on several numbers. Inner Station is one of these. Here there is a tradeoff between the choral work performed by the various female leads and the atmospheric sounds provided by the synths. As the song progresses, there is a more metal sounding component, and here there is a dialogue between the guitars and the base. It is this experimenting that takes the music to a new and different level.

It’s difficult to imagine the work that went into this production. And much of it was done individually by the various musicians and then fit together. However, that individual work was significant. Jessica performs vocals on Garden of All Seasons and the multiple tracks are something to behold. The number of musicians and vocalists alone suggest that mastering the work was a nightmare, but the work holds together. There’s a little something for everyone, a wonderful musical experience, solid vocals by a wealth of female vocalists, individual musical contributions by a strong performing group, and some wonderful fantasy in the stories that are told.

Oh, and don’t forget the artwork, it’s as much a part of the package as anything. Hugo has scored another masterpiece.

9.5 / 10