Three years after the release of their first single “Lies,” CHVRCHES is no stranger to critical acclaim. In 2013, the group won the Inaugural Grulke Prize at South by Southwest and earned fifth place in BBC’s Sound of 2013 list for promising new musical talent. Rolling Stones hailed it as one of the few in its genre to do early-Eighties synth-pop well. What drives these successes is a distinct musical style that is immediately and unmistakably recognizable CHVRCHES. The clean beats, booming synth, and tender vocals are some characteristics that—according to Mike R. Snow, founder of Crash Line Productions (the organization that produces Boston Calling)—will distinguish the Glaswegian three-piece at the festival.

However, the CHVRCHES at Boston Calling might differ from past iterations—a move appropriate for a festival known for its unpredictability in line-ups and direction. When the band last came to Boston’s House of Blues in 2013, they were newcomers to the music scene; their debut album “The Bones of What You Believe” had yet to be released. Taking the stage on Sept. 26, the trio will have conquered 364 shows and will possess a new repertoire from their latest album, “Every Open Eye,” which will be released one day earlier on Sept. 25. Furthermore, the venue for this Boston performance—now a plaza instead of a nightclub—is much more expansive. “[Boston Calling] will be very much bigger,” says Iain A. Cook, guitar and bass player and vocalist. “I can’t wait to get back and play some of the new material.”

Still, the CHVRCHES at Boston Calling will be the same CHVRCHES behind the fresh, electronic “Lies” of 2012. According to Cook, the music performed remains a production that seeks to capture the spontaneity behind its creation. Their sound, as recent singles “Leave a Trace” and “Never Ending Circles” indicate, continues to seamlessly fuse light beats with weighty, honest lyrics. The electrifying pop triad might be more polished, but its persisting charm promises an exuberant, dynamic performance.

—Staff writer Ha D.H. Le can be reached at ha.le@thecrimson.com.

MisterWives

When MisterWives dropped their debut album “Our Own House,” Billboard characterized the venture as “explosive, larger than life.” The description is apt for a group whose discography includes a stripped, folksy cover of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” and the sassy “Not Your Way,” brimming with sudden but smooth tempo shifts and a jubilant electronic beat. Yet while the New York City-based band’s music encompasses a diverse range of moods from jubilant disco funk to sombre ballads, MisterWives never ceases to infuse every song with a sincere energy—a quality that will no doubt manifest in the group’s appearance at Boston Calling.

But what drives this energy? Perhaps it is the music itself. Take the hit “Reflections.” It magically blends head-banging rock and marching synths to unexpectedly form an organic pop melody. Fueled by Lee’s powerful vocals, which fluidly oscillate from operatic to husky, the beat is surprising in its ability to avoid what would be, in less experienced hands, cacophony. This special quality fills every work in the MisterWives canon. The result is an addictive and kinetic sound that defies genre.

Or maybe it is the band’s commitment to performing an entertaining set. “We [want] to make it so that everybody has a good time,” says lead singer Mandy Lee, a desire that percussionist Etienne B. Bowler and bass guitarist William J. Hehir echo as the trio considers dancing and even crowd surfing during the show.

Regardless of where the energy comes from, one fact is certain: MisterWives will be rolling into City Plaza on Sunday to follow through on the Boston Calling mission, to provide eclectic music and entertainment. But that is only to be expected from a group that has consistently delivered a certain level of charm to even the most meditative of songs. “Bring your dancing shoes,” Lee says. “You’ll need a second pair.”

—Staff writer Ha D.H. Le can be reached at ha.le@thecrimson.com.

Of Monsters and Men

In a stark departure from the rousing, hand-clapping melodies of their 2011 debut album “My Head Is an Animal,” Icelandic folk-pop quintet Of Monsters and Men brings an unprecedented level of vulnerability and emotion to their sophomore effort, aptly titled “Beneath the Skin.” The group—which expands to an impressive size of nine for live performances—will return this fall for their first appearance since the inaugural Boston Calling in Spring 2013, making one of many stops on the North American leg of their tour.

The new album’s darker material may take longtime fans by surprise. The whimsically upbeat duets and frequent choruses of “Hey!” that so distinctly characterized the band’s earlier work have been eschewed for brooding percussion and melancholic solo vocals by co-lead singer Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, who now takes the lion’s share of vocal responsibility. The band’s classic first album track, “Dirty Paws,” no longer serves as their typical set-opener, having been replaced in most performances by the ominous “Thousand Eyes,” which features Hilmarsdóttir steadily pounding away at a floor tom-tom drum. “I lie awake and watch it all diffuse / Like thousand eyes,” she sings, as if in a trance. In the slow, regretful ballad “Organs,” she brings the album to its emotional core with heart-wrenching reflection: “I am sorry for the trouble, I suppose / My blood runs red but my body feels so cold / I guess I could swim for days in the salty sea / But in the end the waves will discolor me.”

Although much of the band’s new music feels mournful, imaginative woodland imagery still dominates their songwriting, and even the most funereal of tracks relies on simple yet catchy melodic hooks that make the band’s live performances incredibly enjoyable sing-alongs. Of Monsters and Men has the uncanny ability to rally crowds behind their uniquely folky blend of rock, whether it be with new singles such as “Crystals” and “Empire” or with beloved old tracks such as “Little Talks,” “King and Lionheart”, and “Mountain Sound.” With a variety of guitarists and percussionists taking the stage alongside trumpet and trombone players, the band manages to achieve an idiosyncratic live sound unlike any other and will likely take the stage at City Hall Plaza to uproarious, rhythmic applause.

—Staff writer Alan R. Xie can be reached at alan.xie@thecrimson.com.