Fontaines D.C. retain the rawness they’re renowned for, but this stripped-back offering provides a more intimate glimpse into the band. Gone are the guitars and drums, replaced by a series of powerful, tastefully placed synths, intertwined with mesmerising digital drumbeats.
The track’s atmospheric opening instantly teleports you to the realm of melancholy, before the sombre piano and minimalist instrumentation keep you there for the song’s duration. Deep, soulful strings eventually join the mix, leaving you in a state of near hypnosis for three and a half minutes.
But unlike the original, the feeling of desperateness projected by the original vocals is not experienced through screams: instead, vocalist Grian Chatten pulls you in with his seeming vulnerability and distinctive Irish drawl. And once the acclaimed frontman launches into 'Heart Shaped Box' midway through, you could easily be fooled into thinking this was a cover of the Nirvana classic, provided it went on for more than a minute and a half.
James Cook
Image: Fontaines D.C. on Triple J’s Like A Version
