[junkie-dropcap]T[/junkie-dropcap]he YouTube video “This Is Dominic Fike” posted by Brockhampton drew me to the song “3 Nights”. To this day, I think it’s one of the catchiest songs I’ve ever heard. Since then, I’ve been a fan of Dominic Fike. From his contributions to Kevin Abstract’s “Arizona Baby” to collaborations with Kenny Beats, Dominic has been on a winning streak for me. The potential he’s shown has done nothing but grow and it’s all culminated to his debut album, “What Could Possibly Go Wrong”. The very question I asked myself going into this album. So with no further ado, let’s dive in.
An album that clocks in at just over 30 minutes is a sight for sore eyes in 2020. There’re no rumors floating around about a “deluxe edition” either. This isn’t a knock against the album but because of how quickly everything flies by, I think it sounds more versatile than it actually is. Not that it lacks versatility, but listening to it all at once and breaking it down track by track are two pretty novel experiences. Going the more analytical route and digging into the lyrics puts a light on brief moments of repetition or thematic similarity that I didn’t notice just listening through. I wouldn’t even call those moments negative. Just minor details I happen to be paid to notice. But it’s still more so a positive because I think it’s brilliant. It shows he made the album to be enjoyed in full. Intentional or not, that’s good structure.
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Me saying this is a rare instance but…a lot of these songs could’ve been longer. I wouldn’t have complained a bit. The intro track “Come Here” for example is a vibrant rock song with eccentric singing from Dominic. It’s got an 80s feel to it that sounds like it’s heading somewhere. But as I anticipated what that could be, it was over. I wasn’t disappointed for long because the following track “Double Negative” is much like an actual double negative, a positive in the tracklist.
But what I just described is a semi-frequent recurrence throughout the album. “10x Stronger” sounds like the outro to a song cut and made into it’s own track. (It reminds me of the outro to Rich Brian’s “Drive Safe” specifically) It’s very pleasing to the ear but it’s so light on content I have to question its placement here. “Wurli” easily could’ve been fleshed out, as well. But I’m happy to say that’s my biggest complaint.
I like these songs so much I just wanted a little more out of a few of them. A big reason for that is the insane catchiness factor this album has. Dominic is so gifted with melodies. The humming alone on “Good Game” has been stuck in my head for days. I thought only Kid Cudi pulled that off. Dominic takes his vocals a few different directions on this album without fail. Whether it’s the high pitched hook on “Chicken Tenders”, the funky Steve Lacy influence of “What’s For Dinner?” or literally everything about “Vampire” he never sounds bad or even less than great.
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The way he experiments with his tone definitely shows some Frank Ocean influence, but he doesn’t take it as far as someone like Choker does. Dominic Fike is much more pop and his fusion of those influences with poppier sounds brings something very intriguing to the table. (And as I’ve mentioned, just ridiculously catchy. God, I love “Vampire” so much)
Dominic could probably be a terrible songwriter and I’d still love listening to him. But it’s a big plus that he’s not. Not every song on here has a lyrical focus, but the ones that do give me a little more insight into Dominic as an artist. “Cancel Me” for example shows how far ahead he thinks. I’d think it’s a little early in his career for him to want to be canceled so he can go home, but if that’s what he wants…I guess we as his fans should make it happen. (It should go without saying I’m kidding)
On a serious note, “Good Game” and “Superstar Shit” are personal moments for Dominic lyrically. On “Good Game”, he takes on the perspective of his father witnessing his son’s rise to stardom. Dominic drops lyrical subtleties that paint their dynamic as well-intentioned but far from perfect. (I don’t wanna come off presumptuous about his personal life. That’s just what I feel the song puts forward) Whatever the case may be, I appreciate it. A debut album is the time to get to know an artist, and I hope Dominic feels comfortable expressing himself even more in his future work.
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“Superstar Shit” just portrays loneliness from top to bottom. It’s an appropriately downbeat song where Dominic adjusts to life after ending a long relationship. It’s relatable without being overly dramatic like so many other songs on the topic. “Findin’ out the hard way, forgot how good it feels to be alone” is a lyric that says a lot more than most entire songs do. It’s a lyric I just felt immediately. Dominic’s songwriting skills show themselves in the form of some solid rap verses here and there too. The trap-flavored second half of “Politics & Violence” reminded me he can go off when he wants to. His flow is impressive for a guy who’s not a “rapper”, per se. The Kenny Beats produced closer “Florida” ends the album out with some solid rapping too. Dominic and Kenny are just a great duo.
Overall, this album offers a lot in not a lot of time. Longtime readers know that’s what I love to see. Dominic’s debut puts everything that makes him great on display, and I really hope it brings him a lot of attention. He’s certainly deserving. There are usually way more noticeable issues with a debut album, but “What Could Possibly Go Wrong” is impressively solid. My biggest complaint was more of a nitpick. Thanks to the short runtime and addictive sounds, I’ll be returning to this for a while. But my ear will definitely be open for whatever Dominic does next. Hopefully more people follow suit.
