The sixth installment of Fernando Perdomo’s critically acclaimed Waves series picks up where Waves 5 left off, and that’s a good thing. With ten distinctive tracks, Perdomo continues his electric and adventurous approach to the instrumental album series. 

“Heavenly Rainbow” kicks off the album with his usual expressive electric guitar leads over a meditative 3/4 time back beat. Brilliantly mixed and produced by Perdomo, bass and drums shine in this setting. Touches of ethereal keyboards also reinforce the expansive theme. “Magic Alex” picks up the pace with a staccato lead guitar attack over a train-like backbeat. Perdomo’s multi-tracked guitar parts rise to the surface of the song, embracing the listener with a shroud of mystery about the song’s meaning. Luckily, you don’t need to know the song’s back story to appreciate it. “Bob Dylan’s 115 Tweet” is a barn-burning shuffle that allows Perdomo, the producer, to layer a sea of tasty guitar tracks over a rollicking Jim Keltner-like backbeat. It conjures up the Dylan song, “Most Likely You Go Your Way, and I’ll Go Mine” from ‘Blonde On Blonde.” It has just as much energy and passion as the Dylan classic, allowing Perdomo to stretch. “Theme From The Unpopular Prog Show” recalls ‘Thrak’ era King Crimson. The wall of guitars and accompanying guitar effects, pounding prog-metal drumming, and melodic bass booms make you wish this gem would go on for at least five more minutes.

“Mustangs in The Wild” shifts energy with a more direct rhythm guitar, bass, and drum backing; however, the lead guitar work is unrestrained and brilliant, pushing the song’s intensity to a fevered pitch. It’s easy to forget that Perdomo is a one-person band as the song, and indeed, every song on the album demonstrated a melding of the instrumental parts consistent with the telepathic relationship of the best prog-rock bands. The album closer, “Lick My Pumps Luv,” is a slow-burning heart. The acoustic piano, jazzy drum work, and Knopfler-like lead guitar would fit a murder/mystery soundtrack or a TV theme. However, at almost five minutes, I’d hate to hear the song cut to fit a TV format. What is the song about? How does it relate to the ‘Waves’ theme? I don’t know yet. Perhaps repeated listening will reveal the song’s mystery. I do know it’s a lovely ending to a daring album.