Somewhere on the intersection of Royksopp, Air and Yacht, you will find the gorgeous, synth-laden sounds of Mackintosh Braun. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, this formidable pop duo is the teaming Ian Mackintosh and bassist/keyboardist/producer Ben Braun who bring sharp, emotive songwriting, delicate soundscapes and danceable elements to the synth pop scene.

Check out a totally guilt-free MP3 download of the duo's "Could It Be" that is taken from their forthcoming new album, "Where We Are."

Both Ian and Ben have rich musical roots that is reflected in their work. Ben’s father was the longtime drummer for Hall & Oates and he instilled in his son an early love of all things music related. “He would take me up onstage and sit me behind him and put headphones on me,” Ben recalls. Los Angeles-born Ian was also brought up in a musical family. My dad was a singer-songwriter who gave it all up to raise a family,” Ian explains.

Mackintosh Braun has a very clear vision of their distinctive musical aesthetic “We want to bring our own take to what dance music is and can be," Ian explains. "What used to happen in the 70’s with groups like ABBA or E.L.O. is that you’d have these well crafted songs that the listener could connect to emotionally, but, rhythmically, would also make them move, dance. While we don’t sound like those artists, I think we bring that approach back to dance music with this album and I can’t wait for people to hear it."