A shiny new coat for the Dublin gloom
This album is for those who like their indie rock with a side of experimental ambition and a heavy dose of London-based evolution. It delivers a rich, textured soundscape that rewards patient listening, though its departure from their earlier, leaner style might catch some purists off guard.
What We Liked 👍
- Sonically adventurous production by James Ford
- High quality pressing with rich sound
- Includes lyric insert and funky artwork
- Ambitious songwriting pushing band boundaries
What Could Be Better 👎
- Might alienate fans of earlier material
- Single LP can feel slightly crowded
- Genre-hopping won't suit every listener
More polish than a Dublin shoe shine
So, Fontaines D.C. have decided to go full cinematic. If you were expecting another Skinty Fia, you are in for a shock. The band decided to pack their bags, move across Europe, and let James Ford turn the dials. Spec sheet says it is their most inventive record yet, and for once, the marketing fluff is not lying through its teeth. This is a record that sounds like it was dreamt up in an international airport terminal, dragging influences from Korn to OutKast into the mix, which is a sentence I never thought I would write about this band.
Listening to the vinyl pressing, you get a sense of the sheer scale they are aiming for. The production is layered, thick, and surprisingly lush compared to their earlier, more claustrophobic efforts. It is the kind of sound that demands a decent turntable setup, not some budget suitcase player that sounds like it is struggling to breathe. There is a palpable sense of space here that feels genuinely new for the group, marking a transition from local heroes to global art-rock contenders.
The tracklist is a sprawling map of where the band members have been hiding out. Grian Chatten is still the lyrical mastermind, but his delivery feels less like a shout in a crowded bar and more like a whispered conspiracy in a dark alleyway. The interplay between the dual guitars of Carlos O'Connell and Conor Curley has evolved from post-punk chug to something far more atmospheric. It is clear they spent their downtime listening to anything but indie guitar music.
Buyers keep mentioning the clarity of the pressing, and for once, the internet is right. There is a depth to the bass and a crispness to the percussion that makes the digital stream feel like a polite suggestion rather than the full-throated roar that this record demands. If you are looking for the grit, it is still there, but it is buried under a layer of studio sheen that makes the whole thing feel slightly more expensive and definitely more dangerous.
Ultimately, this record is a gamble. It is the sound of a band refusing to be pinned down by the expectations of the critics who hailed them as the saviours of rock and roll. Whether you think they have succeeded or merely lost their way in the pursuit of 'inventive' sounds, you have to respect the audacity of the pivot. It is not the record the critics asked for, but it is exactly the one the band clearly wanted to make, and there is a certain integrity in that.
Specs, aesthetics, and the vinyl experience
Let us talk about the hardware. At 267 grams, this is not exactly a featherweight release, though it is a standard single-disc affair. XL Recordings has done a decent job with the packaging, which thankfully includes the lyrics. In an era where half of all new records arrive in a flimsy sleeve that tears if you look at it too hard, having actual readable text to pore over while you listen is a luxury that I, for one, appreciate.
The sonic palette here is as diverse as the cities the band members lived in. The integration of hip-hop and metal influences into their established sound is done with a surgical level of precision. It never feels like a gimmick, which is usually the death of a 'genre-bending' album. Instead, it feels like they are building a world, one track at a time, where those disparate styles are allowed to coexist without collapsing into a mess of confused noises.
The physical aesthetic matches the mood perfectly. It is strange, it is artsy, and it feels like it belongs in the hands of someone who spends too much time in dark, smoke-filled rooms contemplating the end of the world. It is the kind of product that looks good on a shelf, sure, but it actually demands to be played. If you are a fan of the band, the inclusion of the artwork makes this an essential purchase just for the completionist factor alone.
The final verdict: worth the spin?
If you are the type of fan who wants them to stay trapped in their debut era, skip this and buy a second copy of their first record. However, if you want to hear a band actively refusing to stagnate and you have the patience to let a complex, layered record reveal its secrets over several listens, pick this up immediately. It is an ambitious, bold, and technically impressive addition to their catalog that proves Fontaines D.C. are not just another 'band of the moment' but a group with a long, unpredictable horizon ahead of them.
