Los Angeles-based producer Hex Cougar makes a powerful return to Insomniac’s BREAK ROOM imprint with Visions, a five-track EP that explores the shadowy edges of trap, hardwave, and left-field bass. Out September 12, the project builds on his reputation for emotional precision and bold sound design, marking his second EP on the label and his third major body of work.
Visions is a study in contrast—expansive yet intimate, melodic yet menacing. Across five tracks, Hex Cougar crafts cinematic soundscapes infused with percussive volatility, balancing intensity with his signature atmospheric touch. The project reflects his desire to push his artistry into new directions while staying rooted in the motifs that define his music.
Detailing the creative spark behind the EP, Hex Cougar shares, “I began creating Visions in the year following the release of my EP Embody. Much like Embody, I wanted to keep exploring new corners of bass music I’d never touched before, pushing the boundaries of what Hex Cougar could sound like. While the EP carries familiar sonic motifs that run through all of my music, it also introduces sounds and ideas I’ve never shared with listeners until now. Where Embody was about falling back in love with electronic music after years of feeling jaded and disillusioned, Visions is about keeping that love alive and continuing to nurture it. True to its name, it’s also about finally seeing my place again in the electronic music world—and having visions of what could be and what the future holds. The EP features collaborations with some of my friends and favorite artists, including Acyan, REMNANT.exe, ryscu, and Jade Sierra. Each brought their own unique energy and perspective, pushing me to experiment in ways I wouldn’t have on my own. The result is a body of work that feels both personal and collective, an exchange of ideas that shaped Visions into something greater than I could have imagined alone.”
The EP introduces a striking range of collaborations. The closer HEARTBREAKER, co-produced with Acyan, evolves from eerie vocal snippets and hazy pads into an explosive climax of blaring synths and chopped outro tension. Lead single FANTASY set the tone early, earning support from Alison Wonderland and coverage from outlets including UKF, Trap City, All Time EDM, Distopic, Music For All, and Find Your Sounds. Elsewhere, HONEST with Jade Sierra delivers a color-bass anthem with shimmering toplines, INFRARED with REMNANT.exe explores trap’s darker edge with warped snares and basslines, and AYRE with ryscu injects breakbeat urgency through amen breaks and soaring vocals.
Beyond the music, Visions arrives with an ambitious visual world conceived and shot by Hex Cougar himself. Set in desolate landscapes across California, the narrative follows a spectral knight—played by the artist—through dreamlike terrains, from vast grassy plains to the Mojave Desert, jagged rock formations, and a forest scarred by fire but brimming with new growth. The visuals culminate in surreal hallucinations that tie directly into the EP’s artwork, shot alongside close collaborator Cody Burkhardt. These visuals have been teased during the rollout and will fully come to life during his live shows, including Escape Halloween, Symmetry Festival, Resonance Park, Ember Shores, and direct support slots for Dabin at WAMU Theater and The Eastern on the Aura Park Tour.
With more than 100 million streams, past collaborations with RL Grime, and official remixes for Sia, Illenium, and Baauer, Hex Cougar continues to carve out space in the experimental bass landscape. His imprint Alter/Ego has become a platform for forward-thinking producers, pushing underground innovation into the spotlight.
Visions cements Hex Cougar’s place at the forefront of experimental bass, capturing an artist in flux while redefining the boundaries of the genre.