Hembree - "Operators" (ft. Bodye)

Hembree (ft. Bodye). Video directed by Coco.

Hembree has come a long way since its debut EP back in 2015. New Oasis, like all of Hembree's music, was crafted with technical precision but did little to stand out from the rest of the mid-'10s indie rock landscape. The band's sophomore EP, Had It All, saw Hembree adding a glossy synth sheen to its songs and flipping the songwriting style from crowded-bar foot-tapper to arena-pop anthem. Those moves paid off when "Holy Water" found its way into Apple's Super Bowl LII commercial. The band's first LP, 2019's House On Fire, was fairly similar to Had It All, but worked some more interesting rhythms and percussion into the mix.

But now, with the release of the recent singles "Reach Out" and "Operators," I can for the first time say that I am personally excited for the band's next project. These two new tunes tap into the rhythmic nature that made House On Fire an interesting-enough endeavor, but most vitally, the band has now channeled a certain warmth and playfulness that past works lacked. Both songs have also been given colorful and engaging music videos and the latter features guest work from saxophonist Henry Solomon (as heard on Haim's Women In Music Pt. III) and raps from Bodye (a.k.a. Marty Hillard of Ebony Tusks) -- this is arguably the most dancefloor-ready track Hillard has set bars to.

Watch the music video for "Operators" below.