Dominic Fike – HOW TO QUIT SMOKING (Album Review)

“HOW TO QUIT SMOKING” feels like a sun-soaked trip through the messy memories of growing up.

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. CITY OF STEEL

“CITY OF STEEL” has a LOT going on sonically. There are messy strings, a heavy beat, plenty of distortion, and the song starts with, like, yodeling? I don’t know, but it’s a banger. As a matter of fact, it’s chaotic in a way that somehow works, with all these different sounds fighting for your attention while still coming together into something cohesive. It’s definitely one of the more unconventional moments on the album, but I love that Dominic isn’t afraid to get a little weird with it.

The song captures the frustration of missing someone you’re still furious with. They promised they wouldn’t hurt you, then lied to your face and left you dealing with the fallout. You’re stuck between resenting what they did and feeling attached to them, unable to make a clean break emotionally. The production reflects that conflict. It’s loud and chaotic, almost like every unresolved feeling is trying to speak at once.

4. NOT THE SPIRIT

“NOT THE SPIRIT” sounds more alternative and grungy than some of the other tracks on the album, with definite pop and hip-hop influences. Sonically, it’s dark and dirty, which matches the lyrics perfectly. The song is about poverty, bad luck, and trying to get out of that hole in even the most unconventional ways. Desperation runs through the track, like you’re constantly trying to find an escape route but can’t quite get ahead of everything working against you.

Danny Brown fits Dom’s energy perfectly, bringing his distinctive delivery into an already chaotic mix. His verse adds another layer of unpredictability, making the track feel both stressful and relatable. It’s gritty, a little unhinged, and a welcome change of pace from the album’s more nostalgic indie-pop moments.

3. PANGEA

“PANGEA” is a newer single from Dominic, and it has a sound that reminds me of when I was in college, living in Florida, walking home on a perfectly sunny day. Just major beach energy, very upbeat, late-‘90s and early-2000s indie pop feels. The production feels so carefree that it immediately transports me somewhere warm, where the biggest concern of the day is getting home before the sun goes down.

The song follows a girl who loves nice things but doesn’t have the money her image suggests. He sees the side of her that others don’t, and their time together creates some genuinely sweet memories. Still, her need to keep up appearances complicates the connection. I like how that uncertainty sits beneath such a carefree sound, giving the nostalgia a bittersweet edge.

2. HONEYLOVE

“HONEYLOVE” features Grace Ives and Hether, and it’s giving us distorted, bittersweet early-2000s indie realness. The track has this foreboding-ass vibe with sticky-sweet lyrics that make you feel concerned instead of comfortable, and honestly, I’m all about that.

Things get a little freaky on this track, and that’s when you really start to feel like, “Okay, what are we actually doing here?” With lyrics like “Baby love, lemme give you my spit” and “I want you to be my skeleton,” you’re bound to leave with a lot of questions.

I love how the sweet vocals contrast with the unsettling lyrics. The delivery feels almost playful, but the subject matter keeps you raising an eyebrow the whole time. Grace Ives and Hether add to that offbeat, hazy atmosphere, making the track feel like some strange little fever dream. It’s weird, it’s catchy, and it’s exactly the kind of creative chaos Dominic does so well.

1. WHITE KEYS

Since the single “WHITE KEYS” came out, it’s been one of those songs that’s always playing in my mind. Sonically, it’s very 2010s summer indie pop, with Dominic’s signature rap flow being the focal point, if that makes sense. Lyrically, it’s a “I had a very complicated past relationship with someone I still deeply admire, but it seems like we were never meant to work out even if I wish we could” vibe. There’s so much beauty in the memories he’s singing about, but they’re layered with pain and confusion, because why didn’t it work out?

Dominic Fike has done interviews about the lyrics and said they don’t make sense, but that it’s fun they don’t because everyone interprets them differently. For me, this song just gives hella nostalgia. It makes me think back to people I grew up super close to, and now I only know about their lives through Instagram posts. There’s something bittersweet about watching people you once knew so intimately become distant memories, and this song captures that feeling beautifully. Solid.

SONG BY SONG RATING

WALLFLOWER (4/5)

SMALL TOWN (4/5)

PANGEA (4/5)

CASTING CALL (4/5)

DOOMSDAY (4/5)

HONEYLOVE (4/5)

WHITE KEYS (5/5)

SQUEEZE (3.5/5)

RENO (4/5)

LILY WAS A CAVALIER (4/5)

CABBY (4/5)

CITY OF STEEL (4/5)

NOT THE SPIRIT (4/5)

WAR MACHINE (4/5)

SPOTLIGHT/INNER CHILD (4/5)

RGM RATING

Dominic Fike’s HOW TO QUIT SMOKING had me questioning what year it was, what state I was in, and everything else. The album feels like a Floridian skate park in the early 2000s, and I wouldn’t expect anything else from Dom.

Sonically, HOW TO QUIT SMOKING leans heavily into indie pop, with rap at the forefront, but there are alternative and hip-hop influences riddled throughout as well. We get simple beats, acoustic strings, distorted instrumentals, and plenty of production quirks that give the album a dreamy, psychedelic tone. Some tracks feel like they belong on a summer playlist from 2008, while others sound like something you’d hear playing in the background of a particularly chaotic coming-of-age movie. It’s nostalgic without trying too hard to recreate a specific era.

Dominic explores relationships throughout this album, telling stories of past loves, breakups, and budding romances. Chaos and messiness sit side by side with longing and admiration, and it all feels realistic and well-rounded. He also captures those complicated feelings that come with growing up, looking back on people you’ve lost touch with, and trying to understand why certain relationships never worked out. Some memories are beautiful, some are uncomfortable, and some leave you wondering what the hell actually happened.

One thing I really enjoy about Dominic’s music is that he doesn’t always feel the need to make everything perfectly polished or straightforward. Sometimes the lyrics are a little strange, the production gets messy, and the stories leave you with more questions than answers. But that’s part of the charm. There’s a certain freedom in the way he approaches music, and it gives this album a personality that feels entirely his own.

Overall, this album gave me nostalgia, made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. Dominic really has no filter sometimes, and that can be really fun and comforting where it needs to be. I love how the project balances carefree summer energy with more complicated, emotionally heavy subject matter. I could listen to some of these tracks every single day, and honestly, I might just start doing that.

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