Some bands spend their careers searching for a signature sound. Others discover that their greatest strength lies in refusing to stand still. The QuiXotics belong firmly to the latter category. With Desdemona, their seventh album, the Fremantle outfit delivers another compelling collection of guitar-driven rock, melodic invention, bluesy intensity, and thoughtful songwriting, demonstrating that artistic evolution can be just as exciting as finding a musical identity in the first place.
Led by singer-songwriter Michael Gabriel, The QuiXotics have built their reputation on an eclectic approach that moves effortlessly between driving indie rock ’n’ roll, catchy pop melodies, blues-inflected guitar riffs, and engaging lyrical narratives. Their music is difficult to pigeonhole, and that unpredictability is precisely what makes the band so appealing. Following the release of their 2025 vinyl album New World State of Mind, the group has continued its remarkable creative momentum, earning national airplay and signing with Sydney-based Foghorn Records. Rather than slowing down, Gabriel’s songwriting has continued to flourish, resulting in an album that captures a band embracing its next chapter with renewed energy.
Released on September 28, 2026, Desdemona features 12 tracks, predominantly written during 2025 and 2026. The band returned to Perth’s Poons Head Studio, with Rob Grant once again handling recording and mixing duties while co-producing the album with Gabriel. Mastered by Don Bartley at Benchmark Studio in New South Wales, the record benefits from a creative continuity that connects it to its predecessor while introducing a significant new element to the band’s sound.
That change is the arrival of guitarist Aaron Powell, whose addition brings another dimension to The QuiXotics’ guitar-led arrangements. Previously associated with the revered Perth jangle-pop outfit The Hairs in the early 1990s, Powell has also performed across a variety of musical projects, including work with Tim Minchin and Rupert Guenther. His contribution extends beyond reinforcing Gabriel’s riffs, adding fresh colours, melodic ideas, and additional vocal possibilities. The result is a richer instrumental palette that allows the songs to move between muscular guitar work and more delicate, melodic passages.
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The album’s appeal lies in the breadth of its songwriting. Opening track “Blindside” sets the scene before “Crooked Times” turns towards political corruption and societal tensions, demonstrating Gabriel’s interest in looking beyond personal experience to examine the wider world. “Inside of Your Mind” brings an unmistakable Australian pub-rock spirit, while “Blackish Blues” and “Sweet Calamity” explore heavier, blues-driven territory. These contrasting approaches never feel like separate musical identities competing for attention; instead, they reveal the range of a songwriter comfortable following an idea wherever it leads.
The title track, “Desdemona,” draws on Shakespearean proportions of jealousy, giving the album a dramatic emotional centre. Its literary associations fit naturally within a collection that repeatedly explores human complexity, uncertainty, and the forces that shape our lives. Elsewhere, “Woe Begone” and “Surfing Never Dies” venture into more existential territory, the latter conceived as an eight-minute epic that ultimately proved too expansive to fit on the album. Even that creative decision speaks to the abundance of material emerging from the band’s current songwriting period.
One of the album’s most distinctive moments arrives with “Keeping Warm,” a country-, surf-, and pop-inflected song built around wistful uncertainty. Featuring bassist Hannah Smillie in a warm co-lead vocal, it introduces a different emotional texture, highlighting the chemistry between the musicians and the value of their shared musical identity. Smillie’s harmonies have long been an important part of The QuiXotics’ character, and this collaboration offers another reminder that the band’s strength lies not only in Gabriel’s songwriting but also in the personalities bringing those songs to life.
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That sense of variety continues through “Musketeers Run!” and the defiant “Prepare to Fight,” before the album reaches its conclusion with “Come on Home With Me.” Its upbeat thrash-punk energy provides a spirited final statement, injecting the record with a burst of momentum while bringing its contrasting moods together. It is a fitting ending for an album that moves through so many different musical landscapes without losing its sense of purpose.
The band itself reflects that same combination of creative independence and personal connection. Gabriel is joined by his son Gabe Francas on drums and percussion, Smillie on bass and vocals, and Powell on guitars and vocals. Francas and Smillie have each been part of the group for a decade, contributing to a musical partnership strengthened by familiarity, trust, and a genuine sense of camaraderie. With Powell now adding his own voice to the arrangement, The QuiXotics have expanded their sound without sacrificing the chemistry at its core.
Ultimately, Desdemona is a testament to the rewards of keeping the creative process alive. Its shifting styles, thoughtful lyrics, guitar-driven arrangements, and willingness to embrace both introspection and exuberance make it an engaging addition to The QuiXotics’ catalogue. Michael Gabriel’s songwriting remains the guiding force, but the expanded lineup gives these songs new possibilities, reinforcing the sense of a band still discovering what it can achieve. For a group whose musical identity has always resisted easy categorisation, Desdemona feels like a natural continuation and an exciting new beginning. The QuiXotics are not interested in standing still, and this seventh album is all the more compelling for it: a confident, diverse, and spirited collection from a band whose songwriting momentum shows no sign of fading.
Check the links below, discover more about The QuiXotics and their music, and remember to add their songs to your favorite playlists!
Spotify: michaelgabrielandthequixotics
Bandcamp michaelgabrielandthequixotics
Facebook: thequixoticsmusic
Instagram: quixotics band
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