Irish band Fontaines D.C. twist their sound on “Tongue,” the second single from their fifth album “Dopamine Chamber.”
The song pushes the band into stranger territory. Guitarist Carlos O’Connell ran Grian Chatten’s voice through a sampler to bend its pitch, and NME says the result sounds like a malicious alien. Bassist Conor Deegan altered tape speed to give the bass a loose, hip-hop-sample feel, a technique often linked to Prince. Screeching guitars, eerie piano, and strings gradually break apart the track’s calm surface. Reviewers list the genre as trip hop, darkwave, and industrial rock, and some fans say it sounds unlike their older work.
James Ford produced the song, and the writing credit goes to all five members, Chatten, O’Connell, Deegan, Conor Curley, and Tom Coll.
The track runs three minutes and 13 seconds, and it follows the rousing first single “Marianne.” The album also features ROSALÍA on “Where Is Gone?”
The video fits the mood. John Angus Stewart directed it in New York City, and it shows the band under blue light on top of a tour bus at night, their faces blurred as they mouth the words. The group first played the song live in Brooklyn shortly before release.
It lands at a huge moment for the band. They headlined Reading & Leeds this year, they are touring arenas across the UK and Europe, and they have announced stadium shows for 2027. For listeners who follow global rock and enjoy bold sound experiments, this single is a strong preview.
Plug into “Tongue” and tell us – does the strange sound work for you?
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