The NYC hard dance scene is something of an oddity in EDM. Predating the term itself, hard dance in the boroughs saw its beginnings in  musty warehouses and isolated outlaws. While most electronic music genres have become more legitimized in recent years, the fast beats of Hardstyle still manage to maintain a cult following here. Accordingly, most big names in the genre only make their way stateside for a handful of large festivals.

Fortunately, this Labor Day weekend will be an exception to the rule. As part of a massive weekend for music in NYC, Toxic Synergy 3 will feature Wasted Penguinz and Da Tweekaz. Both members of Scandanavian label Dirty Workz, these icons of hardstyle were featured on the Defqon.1 2015 lineup (an event that can easily be called the EDC Vegas of Hard Dance). Da Tweekaz reached #66 on the DJ Mag Top 100 this year, while The Wasted Penguinz followed their debut album "Wistfulness" with a feature on Revealed Recordings "The Hardstyle Remixes."

Toxic Synergy 3 will also feature a diverse cast of local talent who have populated the scene for years. DJ Wink-E has been a mainstay in the underground rave community since 2010, while DJ Sanity brings genre versatility to the lineup. On one of the biggest weekends for electronic music in NYC, Toxic Synergy 3 truly has the potential to stand out. By combining the grittiness of the underground rave scene with the mainstream appeal of hardstyle's biggest names, Toxic is sure to provide the most unique option to ravers who need a little more than the Zoo this weekend. Tickets are available to the Saturday evening event here, with discounts available for those coming from Electric Zoo.