In The Studio With Emery Bex: Crafting ‘Body Tension’ For Hottrax
- Undrtone Blog
- Nov 13, 2025
- 3 min read
Emery Bex is in a different gear right now. A year of club impact from Ibiza to Miami put him on the radar as one of the most interesting new names in the minimal and tech house space. Now he arrives on Hottrax with ‘Body Tension’, a two-tracker that shows how far his sound has come. It also marks his first solo outing on Jamie Jones’ label after debuting last summer with ‘Keep It Cool’. For Emery, this release is a milestone that ties creative growth, confidence and momentum into one.
He describes the EP as a personal highlight. “This release is really special to me. Over the past two years, Jamie has continuously supported my tracks and played a lot of my music on some of the biggest stages. That gave me a huge boost of motivation.” The version you hear now went through a long back-and-forth between them. “I tried to align with his vision while staying true to my own style. After a few attempts, we finally both agreed on this final version.”
That attention to detail starts inside his studio. Emery laughs at the idea of a rigid routine. “Honestly, there is no typical day. Every session takes its own path.” He works best in the morning when things feel clear and steady. The setup is compact. He moved from a professional studio to a bedroom space so he could reach ideas faster. Kali LP 6 monitors. A Universal Audio Apollo Twin interface. And a shift from Logic to Ableton that felt scary but ended up pushing his creativity in the right direction. “My Ableton Push 2 is absolutely essential. My favourite piece of gear.”
He keeps plugins simple, too. Waves. SSL. A few tools from Kilohearts and Soundtoys to shape colour. The workflow is based on instinct rather than heavy processing. It mirrors the way he starts each track. Sometimes with drums and groove. Sometimes, with a vocal that sets the tone. “Synths usually come last, once the foundation feels right.”
That focus on tight execution shows on ‘Body Tension’. The percussion hits with clean movement but still keeps grit where it matters. “The key is making sure each percussive element has its own space in the mix. I use a lot of transient shaping, sustain control and precise EQing.” Basslines take centre stage. “For me, the bass is the most important element. Even more than the kick.” He plays every bassline himself and mixes digital synths with chains of EQ, compression and subtle saturation to get warmth and motion. For this EP, he built the low end with Spire and shaped the rest with the Arturia Collection.
The room he works in is far from perfect. He figured out an improvised solution. “The giant wardrobe of my girlfriend acts as my unofficial bass trap. I just open all the doors when I’m mixing.” He pairs that with his Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro headphones, then tests the results everywhere. Living room hi-fi. Car. iPhone. And ideally, a club during his sets. That is where he makes final calls.
His approach has shifted over the past year, even if the tools stayed the same. Bigger DJ support changed how he thinks rather than how he produces. “After years of feedback, I’ve learned not to overload my tracks. Early on, I would add another hi-hat layer after hours in the studio. Now I prefer to let the tracks breathe and listen to them the next day with fresh ears.” That mindset shaped both ‘Body Tension’ and ‘Got 2 Luv’. The title track builds through tight percussion, flickering textures and hypnotic low-end pressure. The second track brings a deeper edge with rhythmic vocals and rolling drums.
With releases on Mood Child, LTF Records and Whippin Records, plus a viral summer remix of Kiko Navarro’s ‘Soñando Contigo’, Emery is stepping into his most defined era yet. A standout set for Paradise at UNVRS in Ibiza added more fuel. Hottrax now gives him the platform to show that momentum in full clarity.
‘Body Tension’ is the sound of an artist who knows exactly where he is going and is finally creating with the confidence to match.
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