Mon, Aug 3, 2026

Prepare for HEX 2026: The Essential Listening Guide Before Saturday Takes Over (Night Two)

MON, AUG 3, 2026

After a massive opening night, HEX returns with another stacked day of bass music that blends legendary headliners with some of the fastest-rising artists in the scene. Saturday brings everything from cinematic dubstep and extraterrestrial trap to melodic bass, speed house, and emotional storytelling, making it one of the most diverse days of the weekend. If you’re looking to prepare before stepping into Rawhide, these are the live performances that deserve a spot on your watchlist.

Excision:

There is a reason Excision continues to define modern dubstep. For well over a decade, Jeff Abel has pushed the genre forward through groundbreaking production, earth-shaking sound systems, and some of the biggest live shows in electronic music. Every performance is a full sensory experience, combining massive visuals with relentless bass that has become synonymous with his name.

Essential Listening:

ATLiens:

Mysterious from the very beginning, ATLiens have built an entire universe around their extraterrestrial identity. Their sets seamlessly blend trap, dubstep, and cinematic bass into an experience that feels more like an alien invasion than a concert. Dark, immersive, and completely unpredictable, they’re guaranteed to transport fans to another world.

Decimate:

Decimate has become a favorite among heavy bass fans thanks to his devastating sound design, crushing riddim drops, and relentless stage presence. His sets waste no time getting to the heavy stuff, making him the perfect artist to keep your energy high throughout the weekend. Expect aggressive doubles, massive crowd reactions, and enough bass to keep your neck sore long after the festival ends.

Essential Listening:

Hurtbox:

If riddim is your love language, Hurtbox deserves your attention. One of the genre’s fastest-rising names, he’s become known for relentless doubles, technical mixing, and crushing bass that barely gives you time to catch your breath. His sets are built for fans who want to headbang from the first track until the very last drop.

Essential Listening:

Riot Ten

Known for explosive festival anthems and massive bass drops, Riot Ten has spent years becoming one of the most recognizable names in heavy bass music. His sets combine dubstep, trap, and pure festival energy, creating an atmosphere where standing still simply isn’t an option.

PhaseOne:

Few artists blend metal and dubstep as naturally as Australia’s PhaseOne. His signature metalstep sound combines crushing guitar riffs, massive breakdowns, and earth-shattering bass into one unforgettable experience. His live sets feel like stepping into the middle of a metal concert and a dubstep festival at the exact same time, making him one of the most unique artists on Friday’s lineup.

Essential Listening:

Softest Hard

Few artists capture organized chaos quite like Softest Hard. Blending bass music, speed house, hard dance, and infectious fun, every performance feels colorful, unpredictable, and impossible not to smile through. Her sets constantly shift directions while somehow staying completely cohesive, making every minute feel like a surprise.

Essential Listening:

The beauty of live electronic music is that no two performances are ever exactly the same. Songs evolve, edits appear out of nowhere, and unforgettable moments happen when thousands of fans experience them together. These sets won’t spoil HEX. They’ll simply make you appreciate every fake-out, transition, and drop even more when you’re standing in the crowd. By the time Halloween weekend arrives, you’ll already know the songs, recognize the IDs, and understand exactly why these artists earned their place on the lineup. All that’s left to do is show up, turn the volume all the way up, and let HEX take over.

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