Following the release and success of his debut single, 3 Nights, last October; Florida native Dominic Fike has definitely been one to watch this year. With an eclectic indie-alternative, pop, rap vibe, and compared to the likes of Jack Johnson, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and MAGIC!; every one of Fike’s songs is unique and surprises in its tone, melody and genre. With his debut EP, Don’t Forget About Me, Demos, being of the most versatile and genre-meshing projects; Fike truly stands out as a unique and talented artist, with this EP perfectly displaying his vocal and rapping ability, songwriting prowess and his vision and identity as an artist.
Due to a bidding war that ensued, following Fike gaining the attention of several record labels after the release of Don’t Forget About Me, Demos in December 2017; this resulted in Fike’s manager scrubbing all his music from all online platforms. However, subsequent to this being resolved, which resulted in Fike signing a $4million record deal with Columbia; Don’t Forget About Me, Demos was re-released the following year in October 2018 with 3 Nights being the debut single off of the EP.
Breaking down the EP, it begins with the debut hit single, 3 Nights. Starting out with an infectious pop beat; Fike kicks off the EP on an upbeat note, with 3 Nights sounding more reminiscent of an up-tempo, dance track than the more love-lost lyrics reflect. On this opening track, we also get to see Fike’s vocal talent come through, as he shows off a more melodic style of rapping for the majority of the song. This is also interspersed with a more traditional rap verse, highlighting his rapping finesse as well as his impressive vocal agility. With this being Fike’s debut single, as well as the first single off the EP; earlier this year, he released a music video to go along with the track, making it his first official music video.
The next track on the EP, She Wants My Money, is a compete 360 as we go from the dance vibes of 3 Nights to a more soulful, mellow, acoustic-indie mood. Here, we still see Fike both rapping and singing; although on this track, there is less of a fusion between the two styles and we get a more distinct taste of his individual rap and singing ability and style. Sticking with a more low-tempo vibe for the next track, Babydoll; Fike once again changes the game and switches up the genre as he moves into more indie-pop-rock territory, reminiscent of bands such as The Kooks and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Definitely a darker and more seductive beat, this track has a nostalgic feeling of early 2000s indie-rock. For the rest of the EP, Fike continues to show another side to his style on each track; blending genres and vocal styles, but consistently showing his uniqueness and talent. We get a more indie punk-rock sound on Westcoast Collective and alternative folk-rock vibes on Socks. Fike then ends the EP with King of Everything; a track with a mesmerising etherial instrumental intro, going into a smooth indie soft-rock vibe.
With only 15 minutes of released music out there, each minute is different from the next. And through a mere 6 tracks, Fike has created an eclectic, genre-pushing EP that is impossible not to love. Constantly switching things up, Dominic Fike is already making big waves within the music industry; and I’m sure we will be hearing more great music from him in the future. So definitely keep your notifications on to see what he produces next!
Written By Stevie Carter
BUSK MUSIC 