Absolute Treat is the new moniker of the Toronto-based, multi-hyphenate pop group formerly known as Dilettante. Having fully shed the hazy, lo-fi trappings of their previous project (as enveloping and winningly moody as it was), the band – Natalie Panacci (vocals), Julia Wittmann (vocals; guitar) and bandmates Zachary Stuckey (bass) and Bradley Connor (drums) – have since turned their attention to the dance floor, teasing out threads of inspiration from the intersecting points where disco, pop, rock, and slinky R&B meet.

In 2022, they released their debut album, Dilettante, which UK publication Backseat Mafia described as having “indelible melodies and mountain high anthems." This established them as a versatile band that can play anything from moody ballads (“Blue”) to spangly uptempo bops (“Bonnie”). It also led to their inclusion in Exclaim! Magazine’s Class of 2023, opening slots for bands such as Born Ruffians and The Darcys, and performances at festivals such as Toronto Pride and River & Sky.

Following the name change and a 2025 re-release of Dilettante on their new label, Victory Pool, Absolute Treat have returned with their latest EP, Shattered Love, where they have refined their dynamic sound, delivering the polish and energy of seasoned pop powerhouses.

The EP’s first single, "Main Street", is a track that “came from a moment of deep sadness and isolation,” says Panacci. “I was walking down a main street in my neighbourhood in the West End of Toronto, crying and overwhelmed by emotions, completely disconnected from myself. I was afraid to be seen by anyone I knew because I felt so bad. Instead of hiding in the backstreets, I sat down and wrote the first half of the lyrics in the song. Over the next year—through heartbreak, reflection, and the process of rebuilding myself, I rewrote the lyrics and the song was ready to record. It captures that feeling of being lost in your own life, but also the hope that, one day, things will change.”

Shattered Love is a collection of songs that distill the essence of some of pop music's finest writers and producers from the '70s and '80s. The album is replete with spot-the-influence moments, but never in a way that pops one out of the tight, concise listening experience Absolute Treat have constructed. It's all perfectly sublimated and stylishly executed.

“The Sun” opens up the EP with a surefooted anthem that uncannily recalls choice elements of late '70s funk/disco progenitors Chic; on which, co-leader Julia Wittmann's guitar playing shines throughout, but makes an especially strong initial impact on this tune. The vocals positively radiate; it's hard not to imagine hearing them amongst the spinning dapples of disco-ball reflections and sweaty bodies in a crowded club; with its cascading melody lines in the verses and singalong-worthy harmonies in the choruses, this opening track reads as something of a mission statement for Shattered Love. A dramatic dropout mid-song, a saxophone solo hits and grungy guitar riff slides in underneath, bringing the song home for a final round of that ridiculously catchy chorus.

Title track, “Shattered Love” paints a luridly vivid portrait of the streets of Toronto while sounding like a long-lost Prince b-side with its mysterious synthesizers, chopping guitar work, and minimal, deeply funky rhythm section. Never staying in one place for long, the hooky chorus in this tune incorporates a more sultry vocal approach before Panacci belts out a raw, insistent refrain of the song's title.

Shattered Love closes with a lovely track called “Slow”, which may very well be the vocal showcase on the album. Shimmering with layers of cascading synth adornments both Wittmann and Panacci truly belting it out in the song's final moments. From here the tune gently winds down, and it'll be no surprise when you find yourself reaching for the “play” button again as soon as it's over.