In our latest HARD Summer Preview, we take a look at some HARD Fest newcomers, Crystal Castles and 2 Chainz.

HARD Summer has always been known to incorporate outside artists that don’t entirely jive with the overall theme — it’s a pretty standard move on part of music festivals, and certainly a welcome reprieve from the booming bass and blinding lights. There’s really no better way than to introduce some stellar artists outside festival goers regular interests than tossing them into the lineup. In short, it’s a move worth celebrating.

Crystal Castles, fueled by the explosiveness of Alice Glass, is totally unique. Their style of music crosses into a lot of genres but can be typified as noise pop. Glass is definitely one of our favorite front ladies in the business today, cut from the same type of cloth as Karen O of the YYY’s. Crystal Castles can probably explain it a little better than we can.

Most people are familiar with 2 Chainz from being a featured guest on several major hip hop artists’ tracks, but the guy is actually a phenomenal stage presence. It’s the type of billing that really translates to a live setting, a certain blend of crunk jams that will blend easily well with trap music so prevalent from many of the artists this year, including Flosstradamus and TNGHT.