We did the homework so you don’t have to. Check back each week for the scoop on bands you can’t miss at Pitchfork and Lollapalooza this year.

DARKSIDE

Darkside was a surprise addition to the festival circuit this year. The collaborative effort of producer Nicolas Jaar and guitarist Dave Harrington, the duo’s minimal and atmospheric aesthetic makes them an odd pick for a large-scale music festival like Lollapalooza. Though their dark aura might not mesh well with a blistering and sun-soaked afternoon in Grant Park, their indie status will certainly set them up to have an intimate show. Jaar and Harrington both rose to musical fame independently, but their collaborative work first garnered widespread attention after they reworked Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” under the name Daftside. The full remix suffocates Daft Punk’s expansive and shimmery album, stuffing it into an often thick production and adding dust to the shine. Darkside’s debut LP “Psychic” garnered critical acclaim across publications last year, including a coveted “Best New Music” review from Pitchfork. Jaar, who hails from a house background, plays off of Harrington’s dry and plunking guitar mantras to build sprawling and effortlessly cool soundscapes. Through long and tense builds, the duo creates a tense and sinister aura, which pair with Jaar’s sensuous cooing. Together, they have crafted a sound that is not quite dance music or rock – and

DEATH GRIPS

Death Grips owe Chicago a few performances. Last year, the experimental hip-hop outfit bailed without warning on their Lollapalooza pre-show at Bottom Lounge. Instead, audience members were treated to staring at a suicide note projected onto a backdrop while a mix of their music played for over an hour. As tension built, attendees eventually tore apart the drum set on stage, later revealed to be merely a toy. After a few days of speculation, it was revealed that Death Grips never intended to play in Chicago that weekend. Even as a miffed attendee of the nowfamous fiasco myself – and someone who probably does not appear to be within Death Grips’ target demographic – I remain a fan. Death Grips garnered initial popularity with their 2011 mix tape “Exmilitary” and have since released three acclaimed full-lengths and gathered a cult following. Their latest LP “Government Plates” was released in typical punkish Death Grips fashion by linking fans to a free download on their website. The album’s predecessor, “No Love Deep Web,” was also released for free, causing a split with their former label, Epic. The trio’s brand of hip-hop is monstrous and their attitude is beyond aggressive, nearly to the point of characterization. Their lyrics are hateful, violent and frightening, spit by MC Ride’s cavernous tone with an urgent angst. On stage, he is nothing less than an apathetic and hellish beast, delivering his rhymes forcefully and barely acknowledging the audience’s presence. The production, crafted by an often-hooded Andy Morin (“Flatlander”), is defined by weird and eerie noises with a heavy low end. It’s hateful hip-hop that doesn’t diss anyone in particular, but it heralds the terrors of life at full blast. Their Pitchfork performance is certain to be a riotous and sweat-soaked chaos.

TWIN PEAKS

Dropping out of college to become a musician is a conservative mother’s nightmare, and yet, that’s exactly what the young members of Twin Peaks did. After just a semester of classes with the group spread out across the country, the foursome returned to their Chicago roots to revive their high school band that had just successfully completed a self-funded tour. It was a risk, sure, but their “work hard, play hard” mentality has since paid off: Their debut LP “Sunken” was picked up by Autumn Tone Records and re-released last year. Since then, they have gone on to perform at Riot Fest and are currently on tour with Eagulls. At this point, discussing Twin Peaks’ age feels like a clich퀌