Photo by Jen RosensteinMaking electro-pop is a tough racket. If you're not busy trying to outshine the hordes of competition within the genre, you're probably spending too much money on a synth you don't really need. That being said, the pressure doesn't seem to have affected Mackintosh Braun, a Portland, Oregon duo whose new album Arcadia drops tomorrow on Chop Shop / Island Records. Arcadia is the group's first LP in five years, and it's a poppy gem, filled with soulful chillwave and dance tunes that are just in time for the summer. The album implores you to ride a wave of good vibes, punctuated by drums that remind you how great organic instrumentation can complement a synthesizer.Mackintosh Braun is composed, respectively, of Ian Mackintosh and Ben Braun, former roommates who still live within a city block of one another. (Fun fact: Ben Braun is the son of Michael Braun, longtime drummer for everyone's favorite dad-pop duo Hall & Oates). According to Braun, Arcadia is a landmark release for the group, giving the two musicians the opportunity to display the "broad spectrum of who [they] are creatively." As the 11-track album progresses, retro-futuristic tracks like "In Reverse" and "Holding Pattern" are balanced out by relaxed reflections like "We Ran Faster Then." Overall, Acadia is prime for whatever your favorite summer activity may be, whether it be bike rides at sunset or mornings on the beach. Isn't summer just the best?Check out the record below, and order it right here.