Words By Keira Knox
Not only is ‘Romance’ the most exceptional album Fontaines D.C. has ever released, but it’s also without a doubt among the best albums 2024 has to offer. It’s an outstanding album full of highlights, with Grian Chatten’s perennially captivating lyrics being balanced by continually innovative arrangements.
No two of Fontaines’ songs sound the same, which is what I love so much about their music. This album is genre-bending and explores parts of their style that we haven’t heard before. In this industry you get a lot of one trick ponies but Fontaines are far from that, creating something truly unique every time. ‘Romance’ not only uses powerful lyrics for thematic purpose but the sounds and musicality infuse the tracks with themes of cultural alienation and personal dislocation. They’ve expanded to far wider soundscapes, viewing the darker aspects of romance through a jaded lens.
The album’s title track, which pursues a disembodied realm of terror, serves as an announcement of meaning to reveal the eerie aspects of Romance. It’s haunting, the perfect track for villain origin story. The use of the mellotron is only reinforced by Chatten’s almost cult-like digressions, which are narrated at an unusual intonation to intensify the horrifying suspense.
With strokes of hip-hop rhythm and rythmic guitar, the first track ‘Starburster’ paints an enigmatic picture of romance in the face of apocalypse. Chatten raps so feverishly, wheezing into these anxiety riddled gasps to create a sense of unease. With a focus on the detachment and dissatisfaction associated with today’s lifestyle, ‘In the Modern World’ explores Fontaines, D.C.’s complex and turbulent relationship with modernity. Criticising the effect of the digital era on genuine human connection, the song combines upbeat instrumentation with a reflective tone.
Both the band and Grian Chatten’s newly discovered range are astounding, ranging from the band’s weeping lead voice on ‘Desire’ to the forceful falsetto and sensual sighs of ‘Here’s the Thing.’ I want to take a moment to appreciate ‘Desire,’ which blends their distinctive sound with a sombre, jaded vibe to produce an exceptionally striking combination.
‘Bug’ is one of my personal favourites from the album, it feels like this albums equivalent to ‘Roman Holiday’. Almost as abruptly, the tune veers into symphonic harmonies laced with psychedelic imagery. Chatten writes in an introspective, sincere, and casual manner.
‘Motorcycle Boy,’ is a much more melancholic acoustic tune that gradually intensifies without any clear conclusion. The energy builds for ‘Death Kink,’ the penultimate track, a raucous, upbeat melody that sounds though it could potentially become a classic rock hit but is instead transformed into something darker and more sinister by the album’s cramped subject.
I could go on and on about how amazing this album is —Fontaines have really excelled themselves. The way in which the band have blended genres, being unafraid in their approach to experimentation has paid off. With a tour of the UK and Ireland planned for this autumn and their largest headline event scheduled for July 5, 2025 at Finsbury Park, Fontaines D.C. has been performing nonstop. It’s set to be a show for the ages so make sure to get yourselves down there!
Listen to ‘Romance’ here:
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