Quixotic - Flamingo Drive-In

Quixotic is a Hungarian synthwave producer who - if you've ever dived into the synthwave scene - might not stand out based on pure aesthetic alone. Like other synth/retrowave producers he has a serious love for all things eighties and the very cover art for "Flamingo Drive-In" shows that. Any fan of the film The Wraith will immediately spot the Dodge M4S sitting right by the titular venue. That being said, unlike a lot of names within the scene, Quixotic's production is worth its weight in overly saturated neon signs and the music is absolutely phenomenal. This is not your average, run of the mill bedroom producer; Quixotic is a beast who comes back from the future. 

I came to this conclusion of Quixotic being such a grand producer as soon as 'Highway Violence' kicked off. Gorgeous ambient synths set forth the tone of the song like a still moment of a neon-caked cyberpunk city, only to be slowly taken off by a wicked techno structured beat. The ambient textures came and went, feeding that retro-futuristic vibe even further. About half-way through the song, a heavy blast of synthetic bliss poured through my headphones and then went silent. Further on into the song, as everything fell beautifully together, I was delivered a fucking wicked guitar solo. When the song came to an end, I paused listening to the rest of it and looped it twice - it was that good. 



The block of fun does not end there as the following song was another fantastic addition to the album. Properly titled 'Schwarzenegger', the song features samples from Arnold's always positive outlook on life. Just like the previous song, we're given a grand introduction in the form of inspirational synths that were layered underneath with trickling keys that slowly gained strength. I was then thrust into the midst of another perfectly fitted synthwave club track with electric guitar backing. For those who are a fan of the former Austrian body builder, this is a song that can easily pump you through your workouts. 

Aside from conducting his own routine of synthwave, Quixotic took a song from friend and fellow producer Lazerpunk and made it his own. 'Shredracer' (originally titled 'Speedracer' which appeared on Lazerpunk's album "Death & Glory") is a more melancholic and less crunchy version of the song. This fits as while Lazerpunk's style revolves around the darker depths of synthwave, Quixotic mellows his tone out and gives off fantastic vibes. Like light and dark, Quixotic and Lazerpunk go hand in hand. Quixotic also offers up two different covers of the songs 'Ki visz haza' and 'Közeli Helyeken' by the band Bikini. Titled 'Turbo Interceptor' and 'Dust to Dust' respectively, if you've never heard of the band then you can thank Quixotic later. Both the original versions of these songs are awesome and the covers will appeal to your inner synthetic heart. 

Now, while I could sit here and type away about each and every single one of these songs and tell you exactly why I love them, I think it's safe to say that you've got a pretty good idea of how I feel about this album. It is phenomenal, to put it simple. Each track is a love letter to the eighties, but they're also packed with so much love and production that it's hard not to find yourself battling cyborgs or seeing a poor simpleton getting beaten by a couple of lads in leather with their motorbikes parked nearby. Get lost in this retro-futuristic masterpiece.  
Apr 19 2019