Irish band Fontaines D.C. push their sound into stranger territory as they release “Tongue,” the second single from their fifth album “Dopamine Chamber,” with Grian Chatten’s voice at the centre. Guitarist Carlos O’Connell ran that vocal through a sampler to bend its pitch. NME says the result sounds like a malicious alien. It is a bold move for a frontman known for straight-talking delivery.
“Tongue” runs three minutes and 13 seconds, and it follows the rousing first single “Marianne.” James Ford produced the song, while all five members share the writing credit. That list covers Chatten, O’Connell, Conor Deegan, Conor Curley, and Tom Coll. Bassist Conor Deegan altered tape speed for a loose, hip-hop-sample feel. Screeching guitars, eerie piano, and strings slowly break the calm surface. Reviewers file it under trip hop, darkwave, and industrial rock, yet some fans say it sounds unlike their older work. The album also features ROSALÍA on “Where Is Gone?”
The band’s momentum is real. They headlined Reading & Leeds this year and are touring arenas across the UK and Europe. Stadium shows are already announced for 2027. The video, directed by John Angus Stewart in New York City, shows the band under blue light on a tour bus at night. Their faces blur as they mouth the words. They first played “Tongue” live in Brooklyn shortly before release.
So does the warped vocal on “Tongue” work for you, or does it go too far? Drop your verdict in the comments below.
