If you are at all familiar with Australian music from the last decade and a half, you are aware of “dolewave.” Although originally used to describe bands from Melbourne like Scott & Charlene’s Wedding and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, the genre has broken through geographical boundaries being applied to Brisbane’s The Goon Sax and Sydney’s Middle Kids. Perth’s Sophie Lilah just released her debut EP, Fear/Instinct and even for dolewave aficionados, it might be a bit difficult to tell if she fits into the scene.
For dolewave purists, there probably isn’t much of a conversation to be had; the overlap between Sophie Lilah and Dick Diver is minimal at best. For people who have more expansively used dolewave to describe Middle Kids or Courtney Barnett, however, some arguments could be made. Post-2020, both Courtney Barnett and Middle Kids nestled into a sweet spot of slower, less distorted, more earnest ballad-y rock; this is basically where Sophie Lilah lives.
Opening track “Real” is a mostly acoustic ballad with reverbed vocals that straddles the line between adult contemporary and dream pop. While it is not the most exciting album opener, it does do the best job of showcasing Lilah’s impressive vocal range of any track on the EP.
The album’s second track and lead single, “Content but I Find” features gorgeous finger-plucked guitar arpeggios under Lilah’s dreamy vocals. The performance isn’t as soaring as “Real” but the song is supposed to be more delicate so it is not needed.
The album’s highlight is the third track. While the first two songs are dreamy so you might expect the same from a track called “Dreamland,” it is anything but. Instrumentally, the song sounds like an experienced beatsmith adding hip hop drums to Bill Withers’ “Use Me.” Lilah gives the EP’s most dynamic performance bouncing between a smooth and sultry delivery to the type of soaring range that made “Real” a fitting opener.
“Collecting Dust” brings back the guitar arpeggios of “Content but I Find” but with shuffling drums, the track sounds more like Abby Sage than Mazzy Star. It is moody but does a nice job of keeping the energy that “Dreamland” injected into the EP.
The energy comes way down for album closer, “Sinking.” Much like the opener “Real,” the track feels like it is mostly there to highlight Lilah’s vocal range. It does add some ambient instrumental elements that helps keep it interesting for its nearly six minute run time, making it well over a minute longer than any other song on the album.
For a debut EP, Fear/Instinct nails the assignment; none of the songs are bad and some are even downright great. At only 18 years old, Sophie Lilah has a lot of time to continue to hone her craft and her sound. Whether that sounds leans more into the dolewave direction or if she blazes her own path, only time will tell.
Rating: 6.3/10
