Fontaines D.C. (Grian Chatten, Carlos O’Connell, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan and Tom Coll) today release their acclaimed fifth album Dopamine Chamber via XL Recordings.
The follow-up to 2024’s UK platinum-certified Romance, it’s the sound of a band moving decisively away from the guitar language of their early records and into their most inventive and seductive music yet. Produced by James Ford and preceded by singles ‘Marianne’, ‘Tongue’ and their collaboration with Rosalía, ‘Where Is Gone?’, the album arrives like a constellation behind undulating sighs of smog: potent balladry, anthemic melodies glinting through the murk. In a world tipping towards collapse, it asks how pleasure mutates amid peril—and what our pursuit of it reveals about us.
Across five albums, Fontaines D.C. have refused to repeat themselves – from Dogrel (2019) through A Hero’s Death (2020), the UK and Irish No. 1 Skinty Fia (2022) and the anarchic, kaleidoscopic Romance (2024). Dopamine Chamber is their most radical turn yet. It was made with James Ford between London, the English countryside and Palermo, where Chatten recorded vocals in a makeshift booth built from mattresses and cushions. For their fifth album, Fontaines D.C. have built the chamber. What happens to the listener inside it will be the experiment.
To mark the release, the band reveal a video for Dopamine Chamber’s “Japan” – a song described by Rolling Stone UK as “one of the most beautiful songs Fontaines D.C. have ever recorded”. Directed by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Luna Carmoon – who previously collaborated with the band on the cinematic Romance-era triptych of videos for ‘Here’s The Thing’, ‘In The Modern World’ and ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ – the ‘Japan’ video stars Angèle Metzger, Charlie Heaton and Sean Black and is available to watch here.
Fontaines D.C. – Japan (Official Music Video)
Meanwhile, the BBC will broadcast a special edition of Later… with Jools Holland next week, dedicated to Fontaines D.C. The intimate performance from London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre will feature first ever performances of brand new tracks from Dopamine Chamber alongside favourites from the band’s catalogue. The entire episode will be exclusively available on BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 21st October and broadcast on BBC Two on Sunday 15th November. Songs from the performance will also be available globally via the BBC’s YouTube from 21st October. Radio audiences will also be treated to tracks and new interviews with the band across that week on Steve Lamacq’s BBC Radio 6 Music show (Monday 19th October, 4-7pm), Jo Whiley’s BBC Radio 2 show (Wednesday 21st October, 7-9pm) and Radio 1’s New Music Show with Jack Saunders (Thursday 22nd October, 6-8pm).
Reflecting the anticipation around the new album, Fontaines D.C. recently announced their biggest ever headline shows – taking in arenas across the UK and Europe in 2026 and then huge outdoor and stadium shows in 2027 and their biggest North American shows to date. These include two nights at Ireland’s legendary Slane Castle (26th and 27th June), Blackweir Fields, Cardiff (29th June), St James’ Park, Newcastle (1st July), Heaton Park, Manchester (3rd and 4th July), Glasgow Green (6th July) and London Stadium (9th July). For details of all shows, head to https://fontainesdc.com/pages/live
Praise for Fontaines D.C.
“Fontaines D.C. have grown in dramatic, majestic fashion to become the best band of their generation – the kind that, to nick a phrase from another band, really might live for ever.” – The Guardian, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“The biggest Irish band since U2 have now also secured themselves as the definitive band of this decade on ‘Dopamine Chamber’ – an extraordinary record for extraordinary times” – NME ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“The band of the decade” – Sunday Times
“After the surreal technicolour dreams of ‘Romance’, Fontaines D.C. have landed back on Earth to dissect our fractured reality. The result is something truly special” – Rolling Stone UK ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“A masterpiece from the greatest band of their generation” – The Independent ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“This is a band firing on all cylinders and staking their claim to be the best band of their generation.” – Dork ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Along with sonic expansion, Fontaines D.C. have set the bar even higher in terms of their songwriting” – MOJO ★ ★ ★ ★
“An album that hits just right for our nightmare times” – Rolling Stone ★ ★ ★ ★
Fontaines D.C.
16th October 2026 / XL Recordings
- Six Shot Morning
- Marianne
- Mimesis
- Happy For You
- Demolition
- Tongue
- One Man
- Where Is Gone? (with Rosalía)
- You Miss Me
- Japan
- Intimate
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