Sunburn

the take

In his sophomore studio album, Dominic Fike reflects on the experiences that made him who he is today. The tone of the album is refreshingly honest, with Fike opening up about his struggles with substance abuse and feeling valued. He also discusses his very humble beginnings, being raised alongside his brother by a single mother who also struggled with substance abuse. In his writing, Fike impressively captures the awkwardness and discomfort of growing up and finding yourself. Ant Pile describes rush and excitement of “puppy love,” but uses the image of a first date gone wrong to say, “there’s no more ways you can surprise me.” This sort of unbothered sentiment is addressed in Bodies, saying, “Sometimes I get so dramatic / But we’re not so different, in fact.” Nobody is perfect. Our flaws make us human, and oftentimes the mistakes build our character more than the successes. While the major themes of this album are serious, they are presented alongside glimmering loops and lively production, resulting in a sound that is uniquely Dominic Fike. He has mastered the art of loop-ready guitar riffs that seem to stick with you whether you want them to or not. My favorite track is Think Fast, which interpolates Weezer’s Undone - The Sweater Song and features vocals by Rivers Cuomo himself. The introspective wordplay found in this track and throughout the album make every listen entertaining, as there’s always more detail to uncover and enjoy. As a body of work, it feels complete. The mix of beach-y, upbeat tracks with more lowkey, personal tapes gives it that summery feel that’s easy to love. Thematically, the album cover sums it up pretty well — a girl looking at her reflection in the sunburn of someone else. Overall, it’s a great body of work and I find myself coming back to it a good bit.