Fred again.. and KETTAMA’s “HARDSTYLE 2” Isn’t What You Think It Is

The experimental cut featuring Shady Nasty will appear on Fred’s hotly anticipated “USB002” project.

Fred again.. and KETTAMA have reunited for “HARDSTYLE 2,” a new collaboration with Australian hip-hop and alt-punk band Shady Nasty that leans into darker experimental territory. Out now, the restless track finds the duo back in sync after July’s “Air Maxes,” pushing their sound into moodier depths.

Despite the tongue-in-cheek lyric, “Hardstyle my style hostile,” this isn’t a hardstyle track. It’s a jungly blend of drum & bass and breakbeat with a touch of angst, anchored by distorted textures and a gritty vocal performance. As the arrangement unfolds, it erupts in a burst of pent-up energy courtesy of Fred and KETTAMA’s frenetic drum programming.

“HARDSTYLE 2,” which debuted during a Twitch livestream months ahead of Fred’s current 10-city pop-up tour, continues the rollout for his upcoming USB002 project, due out in December. It follows a streak of collaborations with the likes of Amyl and the Sniffers and two with Skepta, arriving shortly after his surprise DJ set alongside Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter, a historic crossover moment in itself.

You can listen to “HARDSTYLE 2” below.