With their newly released 5th studio album, Dopamine Chamber, Fontaines D.C. is once again re-establishing themselves on top of the Irish rock and post-punk scene. And after the social tsunami that was Romance, the standards for their new album are set remarkably high!
It contains new singles such as “Marianne” and “Tongue”, and emerging fan favourites “Demolition” and “Where is Gone” featuring ROSALÍA – this collaboration being the first featured artist they have had on a studio album! They capture a lot of the same poetic romanticism that they are known for, infusing it with this new resonant and melancholic sound. Making sure long term fans still have a sense of familiarity but not shying away from the raw power and energy that they possess as a band.
To celebrate the release, I thought why not take the time to reflect on how the band came to be, where they came from and how they’ve exceeded their expectations again and again and again. So, without further ado, sit back and unwind whilst I discuss my “Favourites” (Yes, I know it’s a corny joke, don’t come after me), for a long time, in…
Fontaines DC – A Brief Discography Retrospective
Forming in 2014, the Dublin based band weren’t initially united by the idea of making music. Yes, they all studied at the Musical Institute of Dublin, but it was a deep love of poetry – yes, poetry! – that brought them together. Which may seem tangential, but when you look deeper at their articulate lyricism of their songs, especially within the debut album Dogrel, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched. Songs such as “Liberty Bell” and “Boys in the Better Land” comfortably assert themselves in an album that pays homage to their roots in Dublin but also cements their political awareness as a band.
Then, just over a year later, “A Hero’s Death” was released. Its sound continues that comedic bitterness, like that of an afternoon beer, only for it to instantaneously crush you with an immense emotional hangover. The duality is surprisingly radical. This should’ve been the warning sign for the emotional torment to come… and let’s be fair, the fans gladly welcome it, me included.
Next down the line, was Skinty Fia. This brought the emergence of Fontaines’ more adventurous and ambitious sound, in which they swapped to a more tender motif in places. Exploring the bands’ identity and what it meant to them, to belong. It features some of the bands most famous staples, “I Love You” and “Roman Holiday” being the biggest of the bunch, that still manage to worm their way onto the setlist no matter the tour. Then to our surprise, Skinty Fia go deo was released a year later – being their first deluxe version of an album.
Now then. The album that changed the social status of Fontaines D.C. for ever… I remember the exact day that I saw one of the first teasers for this album. Those elevator doors directly paying homage to Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of The Shining followed by the striking chords of the title track song. Then in big rich lettering, one word was left with us… ROMANCE. Even writing this now, I am kicking my legs in the air like a child on Christmas. A few months later, the album released bringing with it its acidic, psychedelic visual identity and the signature pink heart we’ve all come to love. Shout out to designer Lulu Lin! This album has a machine gun of smash hits such as “Favourite”, “Bug” and “Starburster”. “Starburster” is still, to this day, my favourite and the only song in existence about having a panic attack on the London Underground. The album skyrocketed their popularity to the scale of which we know them today, with stadium tours galore.
Which brings us up to present day, with the new album having been out for just over a few weeks now. I personally cannot wait to watch this album grow! It’s already claimed a No. 1 Charting Album title and with the tour on the horizon, it’s going to be an absolute treat for fans old and new.
Credits : Designed by Alex Bridgeman & edited by Jack Oastler
