Fontaines DC – Romance

Romance, the fourth studio album from Dublin post-punk quintet and follow-up to 2022’s number-one album Skinty Fia, finds Fontaines DC exploring new sonic horizons in their most expansive album yet.

The title track Romance is a murky, Nirvana-esque opener that kicks off with a muddy, cyclical bassline, the oscillation of a reverberating percussive wave, and the portentous murmur of the album opening line: “Into the darkness again.” It’s a gloriously gloomy introduction that wades through a cavernous soundscape of sultry lyrics and splashy basslines before gradually building towards a much-needed strand of revelatory catharsis, spurred on by the brief addition of keys at its chorus, as Chatten’s rumination of “maybe romance is a place” brings the track to its tumultuous end.

Starburster, one of the record’s first singles, is an intoxicating amalgam of ambient synths, ferocious spoken-word vocals and drummer Tom Coll’s explosive percussion. It’s hip-hop meets The Verve as grand kaleidoscopic rhythms are cut with the unrelenting attack of Chatten’s line delivery, thumping kick drums and the ominous, scraping gasps for breath that claw at the chorus. A marked departure from the aloofness of the opening track, Fontaines DC mount a panic-inducing offensive here that leaves your heart racing and mind whirring.

Things begin to take a turn as 21^st-century disillusionment takes centre stage in In the Modern World: a stirring, string-swept entry where acoustic-driven melodies are paired with Chatten’s trademark coarse vocals. It’s a welcome but unanticipated diversion from their unique blend of grunge and shoegaze, where sweeping ballads In the Modern World and the James Joyce-inspired Horseness Is Whatness manage to sit comfortably at the centre of Romance. Soon to follow is Motorcycle Boy: a gig-ready, dark-horse of a track that pairs looping background vocals, the muted strum of guitar and a dash of Brit-pop that, while stripped back and albeit simpler than other entries, is undeniably captivating. The pop-fuelled Sundowner deploys sprawling synths, a healthy dose of shoegaze and lush lead vocals from guitarist Conor Curley who debuts his own vocal talents. Death Kink later provides an unholy hit of scrappy, punk-infused rock that sees Chatten inhabit his inner Dublin-accented Black Francis.

The album comes to a close with Favourite: a foray into brighter, more joyful alt-pop-inspired melodies with smatterings of strummed acoustic guitar and a jangly central riff that showcases the group’s sunnier disposition. It’s not all fun and games, however, and, if you listen closely, you will find that the giddy excitement of the melody is firmly anchored by the bitter reflection of Chatten’s words: “The misery made me another marked man / And I’m always looking over my shoulder / And each new day / I get another year older…” It’s an exciting dynamic and a swift deviation to new ground for the Irish group where the push-and-pull of mixed-up emotions are allowed to run rampant under the guise of a wholly unexpected radio-friendly alt-pop single.

Not quite as awash with the murky grunge stylings of 2022’s Skinty Fia or their debut Dogrel, this iteration of Fontaine’s DC sets out to redefine their boundaries and sees the Dublin natives embrace the depths of their versatility with a lighter touch; it will undoubtedly prove to be a late-summer favourite for fans old and new.

Ronan Fawsitt
Photo: Simon Wheatley

Romance is released on 23^rd August 2024. For further information or to order the album visit Fontaines D.C.’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Here’s the Thing here: