Mackintosh Braun’s Chop Shop Records debut album, Where We Are, could easily be described as: crisp, funky, poppy, dance-y and innovative. The only downside is the over-saturated market for the genre that MB falls under.

Where We Are was released September 20, over two years since their first album, The Sound. Where We Are is well worth the wait. Their electropop music recalls some of the genre’s best like the Pet Shop Boys and maybe a dash of Erasure or OMD, and a lot of ABBA, for the extremely move-to-the-beat melodies and lyrics that are deep and relatable; on top of it all, they still manage to sound original.

The album starts off strong with the single, “Could It Be,” which has been featured on Grey’s Anatomy. It has the beat of a city street, constantly moving and so much to take in. The song itself is about staying in the moment of being in love. The chorus is simple and the verses are thought provoking “don’t think about what’s next, when there’s so much missed / is it hard to rest? when everything insists / is there time to stop? where would you rather be? / everything is right here, only if you’ll see.”

On “Nothing Else is Real,” the melody is a siren’s song and the lyrics are one’s response. The engulfing hook and driving bassline that keeps your attention throughout the song while the lyrics are like those of a lover’s “I need to make you feel just like you wanted to / Oh nothing else is real.”

“I Won’t Fall” is hypnotizing, like the driving down the road in the middle of the night, thoughts swirling in your head lead by a melody, this song is that melody. The chorus brings everything to a collision with all the sounds swirling and singing: “By the way I won’t fall / I can’t change much at all / By the way I won’t fall / I can’t change much at all.”

Where We Are is a great, very ambitious, album. It has stunning hooks, throbbing basslines, and simple yet relatable lyrics. It may not be an album full of instant hits, but they are all masterfully orchestrated and well worth at least one listen.

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