‘80s Revivalism from Modern Rock Giants
Fontaines D.C. have been stalwarts of the alternative rock revival for some time now. They gained some initial traction and popularity with their first several albums while signed to Partisan Records, and gained even bigger success with their first album with their current label, XL, with the release of Romance. This album serves to follow up this huge rise in success, and should signal whether the band’s success will continue to take them to greater heights.
The band’s fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber, embraces a more pop trajectory for the band. Nostalgia has been a key point in recent popular music, and Fontaines D.C. seems to throw their hat into the ring as the prime revivalists of the synth-pop post-punk sound headlined by acts like New Order and Depeche Mode. This album features heavy use of polyphonic subtractive and FM synthesizers across most of the record, heavy use of chorus effects on the guitar and bass, and huge reverb sounds on the drums to create an undeniably ‘80s sound on this record.
The album’s lead single, “Marianne,” is a prime example of this sound. Featuring heavy use of a bell tone that almost certainly was made with a Yamaha DX7 or similar synth and a drum tone that could bring a tear to Phil Collins’ eye, the band crafts a sound that would feel right at home on a throwback radio station or an episode of Stranger Things.
The band follows form on most of the record, in particular on “Mimesis” and “You Miss Me.” Both tracks feature distinctly Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order) inspired instrumental parts, with what is either a very bassy electric guitar or a very bright bass guitar. Combined with a set of dark and mysterious lyrics, Fontaines D.C. are at least technically successful in emulating the acts they’re attempting to replicate here.
The band breaks tonal form with the largely acoustic “Where Is Gone,” which features Spanish pop singer Rosalia. The track features back-and-forth vocals between the two, with stripped-down instrumentation that differs from the rest of the album and offers a bit of a needed break from the ‘80s marathon of the rest of the album. Rosalia’s inclusion does feel somewhat underutilized on this track; her music, and in particular her 2025 album Lux, features impressive electronic production that would have felt right at home on this record.
Overall, the band does accomplish their goal of making an ‘80s throwback alternative album. People looking for this sort of album will probably be drawn in by this direction shift, and enough of the classic Fontaines D.C. sound remains to appease older fans. This choice will probably prove a wise business decision for the band, with this album almost certainly continuing to push the band into the spotlight as an alternative pop act.
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