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Dominic Fike drove his mother to prison to serve a two-year drug-related sentence on the day he released his breakout EP. He emerged from a tumultuous upbringing in Naples, Florida and became a superstar seemingly overnight.

He was everything an industry executive could ever ask for. His debut tape consisted of infectious and propulsive mixes of all the genres in vogue, including pop, rock, rap, punk, indie and lo-fi.

Nearly three years ago, Fike’s debut album “What Could Possibly Go Wrong” grappled with his nearly instantaneous transition from a troubled kid to a pop star in Los Angeles. Since then, he’s collaborated with many big names — from Justin Bieber to Paul McCartney — starred in one of the decade’s most-watched TV shows with “Euphoria” and has been featured on soundtracks for the new Spider-Verse and Barbie movies.

Released on July 7, Fike’s sophomore album, “Sunburn,” is an ode to the beautiful bedlam he was forged in. It’s a high-paced tour through various scenes from his southern Florida upbringing including high school romances, courtroom conflicts and nights spent sleeping in cars.

In tune with the concept of returning to his roots, “Sunburn” includes more high-tempo rapping than any of his previous official releases. Before signing with Columbia Records, Fike released raps on YouTube and Soundcloud where he sounded far more similar to Smokepurpp’s rambunctious flippancy than Jack Johnson’s soft acoustic serenades.

The intro “How Much Is Weed?” sees Fike at his most irreverent. He details various adolescent struggles and meeting people in L.A. who see him as another pop singer, failing to understand what he’s been through. He becomes so emotional while rapping about his past that it almost sounds like he’s hyperventilating as he says “She went to jail and sh*t went left and I was left / I did my best, I needed rest, I got arrested.”

“Sunburn” incorporates ideas from many genres but boils down to a multi-faceted and layered pop record. The album’s 15 tracks display Fike’s numerous influences. The album jumps between a gospel bridge on “7 hours” to a dance beat on “Mona Lisa.” On the punchy power-pop ballad “Think Fast,” Weezer even makes an appearance and interpolates their 1994 hit, “Undone – The Sweater Song.” Although the album takes inspiration from a vast variety of sounds, its narrative is maintained through Floridian stories and a breezy summer ambiance.

This consistent mood is only interrupted by one slow and poignant track, “4×4,” where Fike writes himself a letter contemplating his past decisions through poetic writing. While repeating the phrase “Build your life story,” Fike discusses naive fantasies he was fed as a child. The track hinges on a somber sliding guitar effect and was produced in part by Michael Uzowuru, who also worked on other heart wrenching songs like Frank Ocean’s “Nights” and Rosalia’s “HENTAI.” While most of “Sunburn” revolves around upbeat guitar licks, “4×4” sounds closer to the thoughtful electronic neo-folk of Bon Iver’s recent work.

Years removed from the Sunshine State, Fike seems unable to decide whether he views his home with endearment or contempt. His portrayal of Florida varies as much as his genres do. In some moments he stares glossy-eyed at photo albums of life in Florida and in others he relishes his newfound Angeleno lifestyle.

On “Think Fast” he sings, “This place was bad for me,” only to reprise the line later in the song, screaming “This place, to me, was everything.” He knows that the hardships he and his family faced in Florida will stick with him forever, but he’s simultaneously relieved to have escaped that stress and nostalgic about his old life.

Much of “Sunburn” consists of love stories from Fike’s adolescence, galvanized by catchy hooks and finely-tuned production. He describes a long-distance drive to see a girlfriend on “7 hours” and his first real relationship on “Ant Pile,” but “Sunburn” shines brightest when Fike vents about all of his anxieties and concerns at a million words a minute through quickfire rap verses.

On “How Much Is Weed?, “Sunburn” and “Dark,” Fike belts out stream-of-consciousness raps, shining a light on the demons that followed him to L.A.. On the title track, he raps about “trying to run from [his] true colors,” as he wrestles with the fact that he’ll always be that kid from Florida, even years after becoming an A-list celebrity who plays at Coachella and receives shoutouts from Drake and Billie Eilish.

“Sunburn” is a lively and eclectic expedition through Fike’s upbringing, but despite its lightness, it seems monumentally emotional and important to the artist himself. As Fike continues his meteoric rise in multiple fields of the entertainment industry, his sophomore record is a beautifully bittersweet tribute to his past life.

Published on July 11, 2023 at 10:23 pm