Music has always been one of my favorite things, but recently I’ve come to appreciate the abundant genres. The only issue is, I’m a very indecisive person and so I tend to struggle when choosing what music to listen to. Throughout the year, I will be scrolling through Spotify and reviewing various artists, genres, and albums in hopes to not only learn more about music, but share my thoughts for those of you who also can’t decide what to listen to.
This week I’m lucky enough to be able to explore one of my favorite artists – Dominic Fike. I’m pretty well versed in most of his music, especially his newer albums, but I’ve also come to appreciate some of his older music as well.
Growing up, Fike was left to fend for himself most of the time, as both of his parents were heroin addicts and his father especially was rarely involved in Fike’s childhood. However, his father returned for a week and taught Fike how to play a few guards on the guitar, which sparked his interest in music. Fike gained inspiration from Blink-182 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Fike constantly moved around and went to multiple high schools, after which he attended college for three days. After dropping out of college, Fike decided to pursue music full time, building off of the songs he had uploaded to YouTube while still in high school.
If you’re looking for funky backtracks, unique instrumental intros, and that distinctly “indie pop” feel, then Dominic Fike is your man. He first established himself in the music industry in 2018 when he came out with his EP “Don’t Forget About Me, Demos”. Since then, he has exploded onto the scene, releasing wildly successful albums such as “Don’t Forget About Me, Demos” in 2018, “What Could Possibly Go Wrong” in 2020, “Sunburn” in 2023, and “14 minutes’ in 2024.
He contributed to the soundtrack of Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse with his song “Mona Lisa” as well as the soundtrack of the HBO series Euphoria (in which he also acted) with “Elliot’s Song”. His single “Mama’s Boy” became a popular audio for TikTok videos. He has collabed with artists such as Weezer, Remi Wolf, Kenny Beats, Paul McCartney, and Zendaya.
His older albums, “Don’t Forget About Me, Demos” in particular, include more acoustic and electric guitar intros, followed by unique riffs in the middle of the song. The vocals are often layered over one another and modified for a “retro-type” sound. The vibe is more angsty and is similar to elements of 90s punk rock music.
Fike’s more recent works – “Sunburn” and “14 minutes” – harness the more “indie” side of indie pop by utilizing unique instrumentals and overlaying various audios to add depth to the song. These songs have the same underlying guitar and modified audio elements of his older music, while also embracing more folk song elements. They also are made up of significantly more slower-paced songs, which creates a “daydreamer” type feel.
My Top Ten:
- Ant Pile (Sunburn)
- Bodies (Sunburn
- Vampire (What Could Possibly Go Wrong)
- Mona Lisa (Sunburn)
- 3 Nights (Don’t Forget About Me, Demos)
- coast2coast (14 minutes)
- Babydoll (Don’t Forget About Me, Demos)
- Superstar Sh*t (What Could Possibly Go Wrong)
- misses (14 minutes)
- Falling Asleep (Don’t Forget About Me, Demos)
For fans of Weezer, Remi Wolf, almost monday, COIN, and Beach Weather.
