Album Review: Fontaines D.C - ‘Dopamine Chamber’

Fontaines D.C. don’t have much to prove at this point in their careers, but that hasn’t stopped them from spiking their new release with all the innovation and experimentation that earned them the well-deserved acclaim they’ve already achieved. Dopamine Chamber, dropping on October 16^th, follows their previous four album releases with great anticipation and doesn’t disappoint.

Chatten’s vocals, combined with the poetic songwriting the band is so deft with, shine right off the bat on the opening track, “Six Shot Morning.” A deep, reverb-y pulse of a beat underscores the verses, sung richly and with a murky questioning tone, while the chorus highlights a slight falsetto of the repeated word “always.” It all combines to create a trance-like state which is then reinforced by overlapping rounds leading up to the outro. And just like that, they’ve kicked off the dopamine jolt, as promised.

The first single, “Marianne” follows and brings a catchiness in the staccato vocals and tightly winding guitars that make it hard not to want to listen to on repeat. While Fontaines D.C. have no trouble checking the box for post-punk escapism, this track also brings an invigorating sense of letting go of pretense and falling deep into the pure joy of connection that comes with new love.

“Memesis” continues the upbeat tone and really accomplishes a wonderful feat of recreating 80’s new-wave performativity without losing the modern angst that is unescapable in a hyper-technological post-millenial world. “Happy For You” moves into a more somber crawl through the emotions of separation, but still expresses a calmness that seems to come from meditative introspection. It really becomes apparent at this point in the album that Fontaines are reaching into our nervous system and tapping on different nerves to check our responses. The heavy distortion that kicks in during the chorus, “If you go/ I won’t run after you/ I swear/ So you know/ I’m just happy for you/ I swear” carries the same angst that creeps in during the previous track, but charges it into your conscious with more insistence, not desperate but with the conviction of a hopeless romantic.

In fact, I think Fontaines have really perfected a difficult balance at this point, something they maybe were on the path to in their previous album, but have set on a pinpoint like a magic trick of physics here. My first instinct in these tracks is to melt away into a sense of oblivion, and yet the lyrics and sense of steady urgency push me toward each new track like Willy Wonka’s boat down the terrifying tunnel of Gene Wilder’s portrayal. It really is an invigorating thing to be able to feel these conflicting senses simultaneously, but I’m hooked.

“Demolition” and “Tongue” are louder and more direct, butnever stray from that perfect balance of sensation. “One Man” reverts back to a more dreamy mode of delivery, but also keeps us in the dopamine chamber with an imploring plea for grace in the simple explanation chorus “I’m only one man” and leans heavily into the poetry of image in the verse, while juggling an apology and a dismissal at the same time. Chatten’s vocals carry this paradox evenly and convincingly and leave the listener with a lot to consider about achievement, expectation, and fulfillment.

The next track, “Where is Gone?” features Rosalía, a Catalonian singer-songwriter and actress who adds an incredible dose of ethereality to the already dreamy mood of the album. With likenesses to Lana Del Rey or Mazzy Star, her voice drives your psyche deep into your gut and keeps you there with nothing to do but listen as though from the bottom of your own mind. It’s almost like listening to the performance from the depths of Get Out’s Sunken Place, as you can feel their breath on your face but can’t quite reach them to plead for forgiveness. This track is bound to be a favorite and is definitely one I’ll be revisiting.

In spite of that, I think my favorite track on the album is “You Miss Me.” This one has an orchestral feel that hints at a grand message and yet drops into a sinister tone between choruses that makes me revisit old jealousies or feelings of desperation, not with remorse, but with a want for the raw emotion of it. It’s hard to understand why you’d want to bring those emotions on yourself, but this track, like the album as a whole, really begs you to span the gamut of emotions that you’ve buried or maybe forgotten from your wildest relationships or acquaintances. “Japan,” too, feels like an exploration of regret or remorse, recounting dissociative coping and tragic miscommunication, but still drawing you in to the feeling to ensure you know the depths before you can truly know the heights of human experience.

To wrap the album, “Intimate” allows Chatten the opportunity to go a little spoken-word with distorted vocal tones mixed with repetitive and biting self-assessment, but ties together the beautiful balance that Fontaines have put together here. This album really pinpoints the things that often teetered across the emotional spectrum in their previous efforts and brings them into a sharp clarity that serves as reminder that they are only getting better with each release.

This album is an easy 10 out of 10. Get in on this one early and often.