Evolution.

The path that Fontaines D.C. had paved up until this point had largely seemed like a clear one. From the rowdy post-punk of their 2019 debut LP Dogrel, to the darker and more expansive A Hero’s Death in 2020, which led to in 2022’s urgent and unwavering opus Skinty Fia; each new record has seen Fontaines D.C. build upon their brand of emotive and dynamic indie rock, with each album bringing the band to greater heights than the record that preceded it. But where Skinty Fia showcased the realization of what the band had been up until that point, it also felt like the end of the first act of the band’s career - the kind of record that perfected the vision that Dogrel had hinted at, and in turn raised the question of what could come next. Fast forward to 2024, and the Dublin band have returned reinvigorated on their fourth LP Romance, but this time the band has undergone its largest evolution between two records to date, creating an album that paves a new path forward for Fontaines, while staying firmly rooted in what has worked for them up to this point.

Romance is kicked off with its title track and a seismic shift is felt immediately. “Romance” is a tense and menacing introduction that is built upon an eerie guitar melody that repeatedly is interrupted by waves of exploding buzzsaw synthesizers as it builds and builds upon itself. This instrumental provides a world that surrounds vocalist Grian Chatten as he seemingly sings of romance as both a war and a destination, with the only reprieve from the engulfing feeling brought on by the instrumental coming from a key modulation around the lyric “maybe romance is a place for me and you,” before the song quickly devolves into chaos and disappears into first single “Starburster.” “Starburster” keeps this new formula alive, but shows that Fontaines are still the same band at their core. Hypnotic, intense, and driving, this track feels like a continuation of Skinty Fia with its conviction and intensity, even if the components building this track are relatively new to the band’s catalog. The rapid-fire vocal delivery of the verses gives way to what could very well be the band’s most immediately engaging hook to date, as Chatten repeatedly commands “I’m gon’ hit your business if it’s momentary blissness.” Third single “Here’s the Thing” follows, a bombastic and infectious rock anthem that wastes absolutely no time getting to its hook right away. The bass and drums carry the verses, with guitar flourishes and rapid breathing floating over the brooding bassline, giving way to walls of guitar and another undeniable chorus. While “Here’s the Thing” may be one of the safest songs on the record for Fontaines, it serves as a reminder that the band has not changed, only evolved into the newest version of itself.

Album standout “Desire” is a bleak and ominous slow-burner that welcomes the listener into its world with quiet guitar arpeggios and crooning vocals, and this gentler approach allows space to notably highlight the string section that appears all over Romance for the first time. The track continues to build to a blistering refrain made complete by an earworm guitar lead, and eventually “Desire” resolves in one final mind-blowing crescendo. “In the Modern World” follows, finally allowing a little bit of breathing room with a mellower approach that largely stays in the realm of balladry, and one which allows the string section introduced by “Desire” to take center stage. “In the Modern World” also allows bassist Conor Deegan room to lend some vocals in the hook, and the back and forth between Deegan and Chatten continues to prove itself as one of Fontaines’ most killer tools, even if largely underutilized on previous records. The album picks up the pace again with the narrative and solemn “Bug,” before fading out into the cathartic “Motorcycle Boy,” during which Chatten gives one of his best vocal performances to date as the rest of the band constructs the rest of the instrumental behind him with a wide variety of instruments and loops.

“Sundowner” doubles down on a lot of the shoegaze elements that the band has played with in the past on tracks like “Roman Holiday” to extraordinary results - the song is cavernous and ethereal as the hook once again utilizes call and response vocals to fully execute its mesmerizing chorus. “Horseness is the Whatness” is another sparse and depressive track, although it feels slightly less consequential than the songs before or after it, almost more of an interlude than a fully-realized track, even if it is a deeply beautiful song. Following this track is the seething “Death Kink” - a dark and urgent song that may be the single most aggressive track the band has ever written. Romance comes to a close on an emotional high-point with its stellar second single “Favourite.” The light and inviting nature of “Favourite” feels hard-earned by this point in the record, and serves as a truly rewarding and blissful conclusion to a record that has spent most of its time exploring the darker corners of life.

Romance is not only another excellent album from Fontaines D.C., but one that proves that the band can experiment with new sounds and go in new directions without losing the plot. Rest assured, for all of its twists and turns, Romance is still a Fontaines D.C. record, and a damn good one at that.

9/10