Indie-pop trio Dulcie return with new single ‘Off By Heart’

Fresh off the back of a successful run of headline shows across the country, indie-pop trio Dulcie have returned with their new single Off By Heart. Following the release of popular tracks Sleep It Off, Test Drive and Feels Like This this year – so far netting the trio over 140,000 streams combined on Spotify alone – Off By Heart continues to showcase band’s consistency as songwriters, along with the infectious hooks and captivating harmonies that have won them fans across the country. BRAYDEN EDWARDS caught up with Dulcie’s Ashleigh Carr-White to find out why it’s another exciting step forward for the group.

Congrats on the release of your new single Off By Heart! How long has this one been in the works for?

Thank you so much! I wrote this song late last year and it has been in the works ever since. We workshopped it a few different ways with different people trying to re-envisage it from a ballad into a song that we could play as a band. During the recording process, our producer messaged us overnight saying he’d had a dream to completely change the timing and direction! It’s definitely been on a journey from where it started to now!

How does it compare to music you have released before?

Our music is heading progressively into the world of pop! We’ve experimented with vocoder effects, distorted synth lines and arpeggiators on this one so its overall sound has something new to bring. You can expect lots of harmonies and a similar arrangement to previous releases though!

For those that aren’t familiar with Dulcie, how did the band come together?

Dulcie was formed during our collective time at WAAPA in 2018. Sas (Saskia Brittain – vocals/guitar) and Meeks (Timieka Denton – vocals/bass) grew up together in their hometown of Denmark, WA and moved to Perth to study the Music Artist course where they met me. We locked in a gig to work towards and used our free time in between lectures to write songs and rehearse. The ball just kept rolling from there really! It’s amazing to look back now and see how the band’s evolved since then.

And what would you say is the biggest difference with the music you play now, and when you first formed?

As our influences and style has evolved more into the realm of pop, we’ve started incorporating different elements when we play live to enhance the set. The use of backing tracks has given us a lot of creative freedom as we’re not limited to or by our instruments. Meeks alternates between live/sub midi bass and Sas uses different guitar pedals for effects. Our vocal arrangements and harmonies have always been a staple for us though!

This new song comes after your single from last year, Test Drive, won the Grand Prize at the WAM Song of the Year Awards. How did it feel to have the song recognised like that?

We are so blown away and grateful to have received this award! We’ve always been very thankful for the support WAM has shown us and the support it pours into the local music scene. It’s an amazing feeling to have a song recognised in this way and we are so encouraged to continue doing what we’re doing!

It must have been a real highlight for Dulcie so far, what have been some others?

We’ve had the pleasure of touring with some incredible Australian artists like Ocean Alley, Amy Shark and King Stingray and been fortunate enough to play at festivals like GTM and Laneway. It’s been such an exciting journey and we are so thankful for opportunities like these that allow us to share our music!

What’s next for Dulcie after this single release? Any more new music or live shows on the horizon we can look out for?

Definitely new music and more live shows! We’ve got a few festivals to look forward to including Icebreaker Fest, Out of The Woods and Spilt Milk, plus you can catch us live supporting Boy & Bear and Ocean Alley this October!