Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten has revealed that he is planning another solo album, and is wanting to make it “a lot more lively” and “festival-ready”.
The singer shared his first and only solo record to date, ‘Chaos For The Fly’, back in 2023. It came following Fontaines D.C. becoming ones to watch with their 2019’s Mercury-nominated ‘Dogrel’, 2020’s Grammy-nominated ‘A Hero’s Death’, and critically-acclaimed third album ‘Skinty Fia’ which dropped in 2022.
Written while amid the arduous touring cycle for Fontaines’ third album, the album saw Chatten embrace a much more subdued, introspective sound than his work as part of a band. Led by acoustic guitars, strings and pianos, songs including ‘Bob’s Casino’ drew inspiration from poetry and felt more intimate than some of the hard-hitting bangers Chatten was recognised for by that point.
Now, Fontaines are preparing to release their fifth album ‘Dopamine Chamber’ tomorrow (Friday October 16), with it marking the follow-up to 2024’s acclaimed and Mercury-nominated ‘Romance’.
Speaking to MOJO about what the band have planned following the album release and huge 2027 tour dates, Chatten said that they would be taking some down time and think about other projects.
“The best place we can go from here is away for a while. Take a bit of stock, and give people a break from us, maybe for a little while, after this one,” he said. “I say that to you, but at the same time, I’m still writing a lot of music. I feel like when you do a fair bit of writing, and it doesn’t go anywhere, and it starts to stack up, you want it to go somewhere. So I can get a bit of oxygen or something. I’ll probably end up just writing and writing.”
Asked if that motivation to keep of writing could lead to another solo album, he replied: “Yeah, I think so. I’ve been thinking about it recently.
“I’ve got a few tunes, and I have a bit of an idea of how I want it to be. I would say it’d be a lot more lively and a bit more kind of festival-ready.”
Speaking to NME back in 2023, around the release of ‘Chaos For The Fly’, Chatten explained why he wanted to work on solo material, saying it offered him something different to the band setting.
“It was like taking a picture of the band and putting a line around me, and reminding me where I stand separate from them,” he shared. “To be honest with you, I feel like I went really deep into my own head, and I was plumbing these depths of darkness, depression, and isolation.
“The lads offered themselves up as people to talk to, but then it’s kind of like talking to the walls – no offence. These new tunes were my way of exploring that, so it was a relief when I started working on the record. It’s like reclaiming ownership over my music. My only regret is that I didn’t take longer to make the record, as it was over in a flash.”
That solo album was given a four-star review from NME, which read: “Chatten’s debut may be a sonic departure from the post-punk-laden tracks of the band he fronts. However, his peerless, honest lyricism and distinct vocals are still recognisable on top of a mixture of glittering synths, wispy acoustic guitars, and layers of ethereal strings.”
It continued: “In the disarray of anxiety, touring and being thrust into the unrelenting bright light of fame, Chatten found a semblance of balance by channelling acute discomfort into a stirring, spotless debut, and what he excavated from the biting darkness is not only beautiful but promising.”
The following year, the singer also spoke to NME as part of our In Conversation series, and revealed how that solo project helped shape Fontaines’ fourth album ‘Romance’.
“I’m in a much better place after that, and I think making that record has a lot to do with that,” he said. “It was an emotional constellation that made a shape to some people. I feel markedly less alone after that record, which was a big part of the reason for doing it. It’s not all doom and gloom – I feel good.”
He also shared in that interview that aside from making new music, he also wants to “write and publish a book of poetry”. Check that 2024 interview out in full via the video above or read it here.
Already, ‘Dopamine Chamber’ has been given a five-star review from NME, which praised it as a “dark but exhilarating reflection of end times”.
Chatten has also opened up about how it was a “career high” to work with Rosalía on the record, and the band will be playing an intimate gig at London’s Roundhouse tonight (Thursday October 15) which will celebrate the record and raise money for mental health charity CALM.
