Rocket Album Review

By: Aryan Bachu and Ian Tan

Dominic Fike released an album called “Rocket” on August 22, 2025. With high expectations for this album, fans of Dominic were ready to listen to this throughout the whole year. But did it live up to its hype? Here’s what we think.

Dominic Fike is a singer and songwriter. He was born on December 30, 1995 (age 29 years), starting his music journey in 2013. He is known for his hit songs, like “Mona Lisa” from the Spider-Man movie, and “3 Nights.” Most of his music has a calm, mellow vibe. It is considered indie, and he has a distinct type of music that is very recognizable. My favorite album—Sunburn—is a good balance of mellow and harsh music. Typically, Dominic Fike listeners come to expect a certain standard of songs, a balance between melody and passionate songwriting. A few examples of this are the songs: “Mama’s Boy,” “Pasture Child,” and “Misses.” All of these songs have the same vibe that we listeners are used to and tune in for. 

Dominic Fike started by giving fans a taste of the album Rocket with three songs, All Hands on Deck, Aftermath, and Smile, to preview his album. However, the album did not spark much hype around it, simply because his fans weren’t used to this kind of style. One aspect where “Rocket” does succeed is in its experimental style, showcasing new types of sounds and beats that Dominic hasn’t explored in his earlier albums. While these choices don’t make the songs immediately catchy, it is a signal of the artist’s evolution and growth, that he is exploring new directions.

For me, the album “Rocket” explores the theme of romantic complexity, vulnerability, and self-reflection, just like all the other songs he has produced. A few examples of this are in the songs Aftermath, in which he struggles with past relationships, and even $500 Fine, where he sings about not being there for his significant other. Despite this, his album didn’t do too well upon its release, and no song stands out in popularity. And that may be just because of its melody: while the songs have a good rhythmic beat, its contour—the ups and downs of a melody—is not present.

Rocket tries to push being “deep” and makes the music too monotone. It sounds like he is trying hard to be unique, and sacrifices a key part of music, making it sound good. This push for being deep is evident in the titles of the songs as well; he names the songs some niche, obscure name that none of his fans understand. A few examples of this are “David Lyons” and “$500 fine,” which seem random. I get that he’s trying to be deep, but we listen to his music to get the message across clearly. Dominic Fike’s music is for feeling good, not to force your audience to make a rhetorical analysis of bad music.