Fontaines D.C. – Dopamine Chamber
Dark, daring and decidedly enthralling, Fontaines D.C.'s fifth album Dopamine Chamber is the sound of a band completely in a league of their own
Fontaines D.C.’s journey from the streets of Dublin to sold-out stadiums has been remarkable. It’s also been deserved; from their initial dogged confidence on Dogrel to creating new visions of what guitar music could be on Romance, the band have been prolific, striding forward with purpose at every turn.
However, after tragically losing their friend and manager Trevor Dietz this summer, the melancholy that’s ever-present on their fifth album Dopamine Chamber is devastating. From Marianne’s alluring lyrical promises ('I can make you disappear') to the existential dread of Mimesis, frontman Grian Chatten’s poetic approach to songwriting is wholly seductive – each line offering a numbing escape into the album’s dystopian void.
Though among the darkness, there are genuine moments of beauty. Collaborating with another artist for the first time ever, Chatten’s duet with ROSALÍA on Where Is Gone? has the makings of an instant classic. The sprawling opener Six Shot Morning adds futuristic elements to their sonic armoury, while Happy For You finds solace in acceptance of a failed relationship.
If you’re looking for the sound of a band completely in a league of their own, Dopamine Chamber is it.
Listen to: Six Shot Morning, Where Is Gone?