Fontaines D.C. drops eerie new single Tongue
Fontaines D.C. continues to carve out a challenging and mesmerizing space in the landscape of indie music, delivering with their latest single ‘Tongue’, a track that plunges listeners deep into unsettling, disorienting soundscapes.
The new track is a potent addition to the band’s forthcoming fifth studio album, ‘Dopamine Chamber’, set for release on October 16 via XL Recordings. Following the success of their previous single ‘Marianne’, ‘Tongue’ signals a deepening of the band’s experimental and psychologically intense approach to songwriting.
The creation of ‘Tongue’ is as much an exploration of sound design as it is a musical composition. Guitarist Carlos O’Connell employed unique techniques, pushing frontman Grian Chatten’s vocal through a sampler to distort the pitch, creating a sound reminiscent of a “malicious extraterrestrial voice” layered over screeching guitars, eerie piano, and strings.
The band aims to process and twist human elements into strange and disorienting shapes, a theme that permeates the entire project. Chatten reflects on the lyrical content, singing lines like “Deep inside your brain/ I feel the same” and “Deeper as we go/ I think you know…”.
The experimental atmosphere of the music is rooted in deliberate sonic manipulation. Bassist Conor ‘Deego’ Deegan III drew inspiration from studio techniques used by Prince, manipulating tape speed to achieve a slouchy bassline that evokes the loose, pitched character of sampled hip-hop bass. This blending of classic influences and modern distortion defines the band’s sound.
The album, ‘Dopamine Chamber’, itself acts as a sonic exploration of anxiety and euphoria. As the band stated, the album moves into “darker and more synthetic sounds,” searching for pleasure amid peril “in a world tipping towards collapse” from digital and artificial threats. Chatten described the work as a “dopamine chamber,” inviting listeners to step inside and experience mind-altering pieces of music.
The intensity of this vision was on full display during recent live performances, where the band debuted ‘Tongue’ in Brooklyn, New York. Fans noted echoes of heavy influences, with some hearing the presence of Korn, a group Chatten and the band have long admired. They have also shared unreleased material, including ‘Six Shot Morning’ and ‘Happy For You’, showcasing the raw, evolving nature of their creative process.
Looking ahead, Fontaines D.C. is gearing up for a massive international run. Next summer, they are set to headline major gigs across the UK and Ireland, including two nights at Slane Castle and a double-header at Manchester’s Heaton Park. This ambitious tour, supported by artists like Little Simz and Viagra Boys, solidifies their place as a major force in contemporary music.
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