Song of the Day: Operators - True

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Midday Show with Cheryl Waters is "True" from the 2014 self-released debut EP EP1 by the Dan Boeckner-helmed Canadian synth rock outfit Operators.

Operators - True (MP3)

Operators is the next up in a line of endless projects that Dan Boeckner has his hands in. Utilizing the help of fellow Divine Fits member Sam Brown and synthesizer wunderkind Devojka, Dan lets Operators occupy a very lovely place between the most danceable of Handsome Furs, the most pop-heavy of Wolf Parade, and the most electronic of Divine Fits. The result, if you aren't salivating already, is a delicious mixture that you won't easily resist, especially in the live setting. With a surprise EP release and a current string of dates in support of Future Islands, there's no doubt that the band will make waves in the coming months.

"True" is by and large the best introduction you could get to Operators. When I got the chance to see Operators last week in Salt Lake, Devojka introduced the song bluntly. "This song is about sex so good you think it's love." Well, with an introduction like that, what do you have to lose? Right off the top, there's an infectious synth hook to catch your attention. But once Sam Brown's perfectly balanced disco drums kick in, the groove sets in for the long run. Boeckner's signature beckoning opens up the track like a fresh wound. "Your mistake, think about it, you'd better carry on", he sings like an angel of death that's afraid of his own shadow. The song dances around truth like an invisible maypole, never letting on what level of feeling passes as real. There are declarations of belief and decisions set in stone, all made in a dimly lit room, so that the promises never fully catch a revealing light. Meanwhile, the pulsing beat escalates as synthesizers creep in volume and multiply in size and ferocity. By the end of the five-minute banger, the track is exploding off the page, and you'll most likely blow your speakers singing along. Without a doubt one of the best tracks we've heard this year, Operators' not so humble introduction is yours for free.

Grab "True" above, and once you've recovered, cop the rest of Operators' debut EP at their web store. Also, check out our stellar photos from the in-studio session that Operators did at KEXP just a couple weeks ago. Videos from the session will be available here soon!