Dominic Fike Does What He Does Best on 'Rocket'
At his most introspective, Fike focuses on fatherhood, fame, and other previously unsung feelings on the all-solo mixtape.
Summary
- After unveiling the first three tracks from the project, Dominic Fike has dropped his new mixtape and first project in slightly over two years, Rocket
- The previously released singles “All Hands On Deck,” “Aftermath,” and “Smile” lead the 12-song tracklist
- Rocket marks the musician’s most introspective release yet
Where Dominic Fike left off was with Sunburn (not accounting for his 14-minute 14 minutes EP in May of 2024) – a true-to-form summer album, soaked in nostalgia and strung together via genre-bending guitar melodies. For its successor, Rocket, Fike finds himself facing some of the heavier parts of his past. His most introspective project to date, the fully solo mixtape takes us on a journey through Fike’s fluid soundscape, making stops even at the more far-out points.
Fike’s lyricism shines on the 12-track offering, his most introspective project yet, which begins with the three lead singles he released as a surprise three-pack last Friday. Though the album’s “rollout” kicked off before that, at the top of this month at both Lollapalooza and Osheaga music festivals, where he debuted a handful of singles – including lead track “All Hands On Deck,” “Great Pretender,” and “One Glass.”
“All Hands On Deck” lays out the main themes of the album, in which Fike finds himself wrapped up in questions and anecdotes about fatherhood, fame, and feeling like a f*ck up.
1. All Hands On Deck
2. Aftermath
3. Smile
4. Sandman
5. Great Pretender
6. $500 Fine
7. One Glass
8. Quite The Opposite
9. Upset & Aggressive
10. David Lyons
11. Epilogue
12. Still Feel It
Throughout the album, while Fike’s lyrics remain consistently reflective and oftentimes self-deprecatory, the accompanying beat rarely mimics this tone. He continues to float between hip-hop, alternative, indie, and pop subgenres, all somehow connected by his captivating guitar hooks.
“Great Pretender” is a high point, hearing Fike tell the story of the facade of a past relationship with some of his sharpest wordplay we’ve heard. “Epilogue” and “Still Feel It” close out the story, which naturally builds on the universe he’s crafted via Sunburn and What Could Possibly Go Wrong.
Stream Rocket – out everywhere now.
