When Fontaines DC decided to accompany Arctic Monkeys on their tour in October 2022, many were doubtful. The Dublin-Mayo quintet had so far successfully traversed boundaries with three exhilarating albums that had artistically flirted with both literature and varied music genres such as Krautrock and indie pop. Their alliance with the Arctic Monkeys, known for their Brylcreem-scented lounge music, was equally perplexing as if Lankum decided to collaborate with Mumford & Sons or U2 opting for a cheesy Las Vegas gig.
However, these apprehensions around the band possibly becoming dull, were swiftly put to rest with Starburster, their intriguing and chilling new single. The debut of the single was hosted first by BBC Radio 1 at 6:30pm followed by an Irish debut on RTÉ 2FM, shortly after 7:30pm. The song, a chimera of chaos and elegance, draws inspiration from a panic attack experienced by the Skerries-born frontman, Grian Chatten, at a London railway station.
Additionally, the band has unveiled their forthcoming record, Romance, slotted for an August 23rd release. The LP is influenced by the likes of Shygirl, Prodigy, and Björk’s Army of Me, a fact emphatically evident in Starburster’s wavering tempos and Chatten’s repetitious gasps, recreating the sensations of mounting dread and then cascading into the chorus. Traces of Gilla Band, known for its encompassing sound and soaring production, can also be felt. However, the song wholly seems an outgrowth from the band’s trademark tracks such as Nabokov, from their previous album, Skinty Fia.
The latest album, Romance, is being advertised as the most non-Irish offering from the band so far. Chatten confirms that with each production, the band’s music veers away from its Irish-centric perspective, a shift that seems to benefit Fontaines as they produce their best work when they break away from regionalism and set their sights on more universal themes. This is evident in Starburster, a stormy dystopian track that thunders and growls as it propels into the higher reaches of music.