Swagger Life :: Purity, innovation and constant improvement

Otis Cox is a DJ, producer, graphic designer, visual artist and photographer now based in Hasselt, Belgium. As Swagger Life, he released “Hyperfake,” a deconstructed club single as part of the Songs From The Gutter series, which Brussels-based electronic transmedial label Montage started in March 2025.

“It’s a lifestyle, really.”

Igloo :: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Otis Cox :: My name is Otis Cox, I am 20 years old and currently living in Hasselt, Limburg. I am studying for an MA in Visual Arts. I am a DJ, producer, audiovisual artist, graphic designer and photographer. Music has always played an extremely important role in my life. As a child I grew up in a musical environment — I was often in the studio and constantly listening to music. When I was twelve I started playing guitar, but it turned out that it wasn’t for me. At thirteen I started making bad blends in Logic and Ableton. It wasn’t until I was sixteen that I started producing seriously, when I started with ambient-jungle tracks. Since then I have experimented a lot with different styles and genres.

Why did you choose the name Swagger Life as your artist name?

Otis Cox :: When I chose that name, it was a kind of manifestation to become as real as possible – the ultimate version of myself. Swagger Life, despite the word ‘swag’, has nothing to do with materialism. To me, real swag means purity, innovation, and constant improvement. It’s a lifestyle, really.

Can you tell me how “Hyperfake” came about?

Otis Cox :: When I started “Hyperfake,” I had this image in mind of a dark club filled with smoke and flashing strobes, clubbers radiating hedonism — a moment of total ecstasy. The idea was to make a real clubbing track that captures that feeling. For me, “Hyperfake” is the connection between old-school fidget and hyper-detailed bass music. It can also be interpreted in different ways. I originally came up with the term “Hyperreal” by Jean Baudrillard in the book Simulacra and Simulation. Hyperreal refers to the visual culture that becomes ‘more real’ than physical reality — the symbiosis of the real and the virtual. I’ve been intrigued by this concept for a long time and thought: what if I turn that term around, from hyperreal to hyperfake?

I had been experimenting with a more electro/club oriented sound for a while. I usually work on tracks for an extremely long time; sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes months. It’s an exhausting workflow, but it allows me to perfect the tracks until I’m 100% satisfied. The track was made entirely in Ableton. I also did all the sound design myself. Most of the sounds are actually quite basic, but it’s the way they’re used and put together that makes the track interesting — just like with a lot of old electro tracks. I wanted to make a real peak-time track that combines old and new elements. I did the additional mixing together with my father (Luuk Cox), who has a lot of experience with electronic music himself.

What is your discography so far?

Otis Cox :: You can find my music on SoundCloud. I don’t like to stick to one style and therefore have a lot of different types of music online — from ambient-trance to grime blends to deconstructed. You can also find my music on the mini-label GOOFAHOLICSCORE, which I run together with friends. So far I have made a lot of edits and blends, but in the future I want to focus more on completely original productions.

What music inspires you?

Otis Cox :: Musically I am inspired by a lot of things. I think it is important to know a broad spectrum of music as a producer. However, I usually listen to specific genres in phases. Lately I listen to a lot of fidget house and old-school dubstep. This has a big impact on the sound I make. Experiences like seeing Aphex Twin, Kode9, and Djrum live, and experiencing crazy club nights, also play an inspiring role. I always make the best music when I have just been inspired by a mind-bending musical experience. Outside of music, I also like to be inspired by philosophical concepts.

“Hyperfake” is available on Montage. [Bandcamp]