Review: Dulcie’s ‘Off by Heart’

Dulcie
Off by Heart
Independent

Perth indie-pop trio Dulcie continue to grow and evolve as songwriters with their new single, Off by Heart.

The new release is another big step forward for the group – consisting of Ashleigh Carr-White, Saskia Brittain, and Timieka Denton – who have already been making strides this year with new singles Sleep It Off, Feels Like This and Test Drive – which took home the Grand Prize at the WAM Song of the Year Awards.

Off by Heart features the harmonic vocals and poetic lyricism that is central to Dulcie’s sound, while the soaring and powerful chorus gives the synth-infused track an emotional and relatable punch.

The song itself is about ending a potentially toxic relationship and no longer giving chances to someone who never learns from their mistakes. “There’s a fine line between giving someone another chance and finally calling it quits,” said Dulcie when the song was released. “Off by Heart is about learning to stop ignoring the red flags and to put yourself first above all the excuses and false promises.”

With Off by Heart, Dulcie have ventured into the world of avant-pop with vocoder effects, distorted synths and arpeggiators merged with their classic harmonies and arrangements. With this particular sound, one could compare them to the likes of Caroline Polacheck or boygenius.

Out of the studio, Dulcie continue to level up with their live shows too. The trio have performed at BIGSOUND, Groovin The Moo and Laneway Festivals, snd supported some of Australia’s biggest names like Amy Shark, Ocean Alley, and King Stingray. With so much new music and upcoming festival gigs at Out of the Woods on Sunday, October 8 and Spilt Milk on Sunday, December 3, it’s set to be an exciting summer for Dulcie and their growing fanbase.

ETHAN GREGORY