FONTAINES D.C. - DOPAMINE CHAMBER

(XL RECORDINGS)

Watching a band grow is a fascinating thing, particularly when success opens up several possible directions at once. By the end of the Romance campaign, Fontaines D.C. had reached a point where their next move could define the kind of band they would become. They haven’t taken a sharp left turn like Radiohead did with Kid A, nor have they embarked on the dispiriting journey of post-Parachutes Coldplay. Each album has broadened the world of Fontaines, giving us the sense that we’re witnessing a band become a household name in real time while retaining the peculiarities that made them worth following.

Grian Chatten’s unmistakable voice gives them a firm footing as they explore, carrying enough character and conviction to make even their boldest departures feel entirely their own. Dopamine Chamber is another substantial step along that path, with producer James Ford returning after Romance to help shape their growing appetite for electronics and orchestral scale. There seems little danger of them sanding down their peculiarities to become the next U2 anytime soon. Or ever, hopefully.

What makes this chapter so compelling is the relationship between its subject and its sound. Here is an album concerned with overstimulation, distraction and the difficulty of feeling connected, presented through music with an enormous capacity to seduce. You could happily shut out the world and disappear into these arrangements, which feels like part of the point. Beneath their appeal sits a persistent unease about where all this pleasure is taking us, and whether we are enjoying any of it as much as we think.

‘Six Shot Morning’ introduces that tension patiently, its low-end pulse and synthesizers establishing a setting that feels both expansive and enclosed. Chatten’s delivery gives the music a recognisable centre, even as the instrumental surroundings become less familiar. On ‘Marianne’, they draw on the experimental instinct that made ‘Starburster’ arguably the best cut on Romance, finding an immediate hook within a less predictable arrangement. The song has enough melodic appeal to draw a crowd, but something in its invitation remains unsettled. That tension gives it a pull beyond the chorus.

Watch 'Marianne' official video

There's also considerable pleasure in hearing them explore what this version of the band can do. ‘Mimesis’ brings a synth-pop momentum to the proceedings, while ‘Demolition’ supplies a rougher, more confrontational energy. ‘Tongue’ is especially persuasive in its rhythmic restlessness, with a piano passage that briefly alters the song’s perspective. These changes matter across the album. They give its darker concerns movement, allowing the arrangements to carry ideas that might become rather heavy going if left entirely to the lyrics.

Very occasionally, the production’s commitment to atmosphere feels a little overprotective of the songs. A few passages could benefit from less surrounding weight, and a little more contrast would make the biggest moments hit harder. But that’s nit-picking, really—a small reservation about an otherwise assured record, and one that may well fade as repeated plays bring its finer details into focus.

The emotional reach of ‘One Man’ restores that balance completely. As its strings gather around Chatten, the album’s broader anxieties take on a more vulnerable, personal dimension. It’s a stunning song, the arrangement giving his words room to resonate before rising to meet their emotional weight. Similarly, ‘Happy For You’ brings tenderness into the picture too, reminding us that Fontaines’ increasing sophistication still rests on their ability to communicate something recognisable. For all the discussion their evolution invites, the songs need to make us care. These do.

Rosalía’s appearance on ‘Where Is Gone?’ is another significant development and one that will almost definitly broaden the scope of listeners. The band’s first guest vocalist on a studio album brings a new expressive presence into their world, and the orchestral setting gives both singers room to establish a relationship within the song. There is an artistic purpose to the pairing that makes it feel entirely at home here, even as it suggests further possibilities for where Fontaines might go. The closing trio does nothing to diminish the sense that this is a record of remarkable quality and beauty. ‘You Miss Me’ aches, while ‘Japan’ gives that longing a more accessible shape. Closer ‘Intimate’ returns to the unease of the opening, building tension through synth textures and a deep baritone full of bravado. At times, you could almost mistake it for Depeche Mode.

Watch 'Japan' official video

This is a strong new chapter in Fontaines D.C.’s journey. Is it enough to launch them further into the global mainstream? Very possibly. With the right momentum around it, Dopamine Chamber could open some substantial doors. Rosalía’s presence should introduce them to listeners who might otherwise never have crossed their path, and there is plenty here to make those listeners stay.

The encouraging thing is that their growing reach continues to accompany a willingness to explore. Five albums in, Fontaines D.C. still sound interested in what they might become. Dopamine Chamber gives us every reason to remain interested too.

Stream the whole album