Kevin Bronson on September 15th, 2016

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Over the past few years, Wisconsin native Neara Russell has juggled making her own music with duties as a touring musician for the likes of Skylar Grey, BØRNS, Bridgit Mendler and Duke Dumont, among others. She’s released two EPs and her stylish fingerprints have also appeared on a handful of singles and collaborations, and this week she unveiled “Operator,” and ambitious four-song EP co-produced by Max Mitchell (Kacy Hill, Ferras, Brooke Fraser). The singer-keyboardist spends a lot of time in her own head on “Operator,” and the mind can be bleak place — not unlike the desert, as director Kelly Elaine’s video for the title track implies. It portrays Russell in nighttime wear, declaring over sophisticated production “I could be your way out” while a dancer (Hayley Haag) suggests there may be some doubt. The song builds from spare and moody before heavy synths propel the tune toward a verse the windblown Russell speak-sings. All very lucid, this dream, and we can only hope sunscreen was involved.

||| Watch: The video for “Operator”

||| Also: Stream “Honey”