Staff WriterNed Bennett brings his genre-bending approach to Dublin’s Block with Hidden Love this Saturday, and we caught up with one of Australia’s hottest dance music exports about his refusal to conform, his process in the studio, the highlights of 2026 so far, his relationship with Ireland and more.
Ned Bennett has never viewed genres as boundaries, an approach, a mindset, an ethos that has defined his presence within club culture thus far. Emerging from Melbourne/Naarm’s fertile electronic scene, the DJ and producer has built a reputation for high-octane, unpredictable sets and a discography that follows in that same vein, moving freely between techno, garage, house and UK-leaning sounds. Releases on labels including Suara and RAW, alongside his own Fractal Tapes imprint, have established him as one of Australia’s more versatile emerging talents, while performances at Beyond the Valley, Let Them Eat Cake and Pitch Music & Arts have put his eclectic approach in front of increasingly global audiences.
Now, with another Dublin show on the horizon this Saturday, Bennett is returning to a city he counts among his favourite places to play. Having already performed in Ireland twice, he’s found something particularly appealing in its dancefloors: open-minded crowds, high energy and an atmosphere that gives him the freedom to take risks with his track selection.
You’ve got a Dublin show coming up pretty soon at block with Hidden Love. How are you feeling about coming back to play in Ireland?
I’m so excited to be back in Dublin. I’ve played here twice before, and it’s always a special occasion to be back.
Having played in Ireland a few times now, how have you found the crowds? Is there anything about playing here that stands out to you?
Ireland is home to some of my favourite crowds in the world. I think what stands out the most to me is how open-minded the dance floors normally are, which in turn means I’m able to take risks with my track selection without too much fear. On top of this, the energy is always just on a different level.
It seems like you’ve had a pretty eventful year, with plenty still to come. What’s been the standout show for you so far, and which one are you most looking forward to before the end of 2026?
All the shows this year have been amazing so far. I think the standout one for me has been my Sydney headline show back in May. Was just a surreal night. I think the one I’m most looking forward to is actually my show in Dublin, just because it’s probably my favourite city to play in.
We caught your recent SECTION. stream in London and really enjoyed it. How did you find it? Do you feel like that set is representative of the direction you’re leaning towards with your music at the moment?
That set was definitely a highlight for me. I’ve been a fan of what they’ve been doing for a while, so to step into the booth myself was really cool. I think that set is definitely something which represents the direction I want to take my sound. I’m really into that rolling tech house sound right now.
Your discography has always struck us as particularly varied, moving pretty effortlessly through a wide range of genres and sounds. Is there much of a method or philosophy behind releasing and teasing such a broad range of music, rather than focusing on one particular sound or genre?
Honestly, there really isn’t much method or thought behind all the different sounds I release. I generally just make whatever I’m enjoying at the time, as opposed to feeling like I need to stick to a certain sound. I find making lots of different genres helps me to become a better producer, and I also just love so many different styles of electronic music.
I think too many producers at the moment are quick to pin themselves to one genre or sound, as opposed to stepping out of their comfort zone and experimenting. I think it’s impossible as a producer to truly find your signature sound without trial and error in different styles.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you?
I don’t really have any sort of set routine. Some days I’ll wake up with an idea and immediately sit at my desk and try to get it down before I forget it, and some days I’ll spend hours just messing around with a new synth. For the way my mind operates, I think it’s really important that I don’t become too regimented with my studio sessions, otherwise, it could start to feel like “work” instead of free-flowing creative expression.
Having said that, I will almost always begin my tracks with the drums, as I feel they’re the most important aspect of any dance song, and I don’t think many producers spend enough time on them. From there, it’s either finding a sample to carry the track or wringing some chords or a bassline from scratch. It really varies.
What’s one underrated or overlooked plugin that you think producers should be spending more time with?
I think Pancz is one of the best plugins around, and I use it on almost every single track. It’s essentially just a beefed-up transient shaper, however, it has some incredible presets for sharpening up your drums, or any other instrument, for that matter.
Looking ahead, what’s next for you on the production side? Are there any releases, collaborations or other projects you can tell us about?
At the moment, I’m not necessarily allowed to say too much, however, I have a remix coming on very soon which I have been sitting on for two years now. This is a really exciting one. After that, I think I’m going to just slowly release a lot of the tunes from my back catalogue which I’ve been playing in sets over the last year or so. In terms of collaboration, I’ve been putting myself out of my comfort zone a lot more recently and have been more willing to work with other producers. I recently had a super productive session with DJ Boring where we started some sick ideas. And like always, myself and the 6 Sense boys have been hard at work making new music, and have just finished an EP which we hope to get out soon.
Is there an album that’s had a particularly lasting influence on you, either personally or musically? What is it about that record that has stuck with you?
Aphex Twin’s “Selected Ambient Works 85-92” has been the most influential album for me from a musical perspective. I think it is the best electronic music that has and will ever be written. From a more personal perspective, MF DOOM’s “Operation: Doomsday (Complete)” is something which I have been listening to almost daily since I was around 15. It is one of those albums which has an ability to transport me to another place, and that is rare.
Before we wrap up, are there any emerging Australian DJs we should be keeping an eye on?
Australia has so much exciting talent at the moment. I think Séarlait is an incredible selector, who also happens to run one of my favourite labels at the moment, esensual. Zac Attacq, out of Canberra, is making some of the sickest UKG right now, and is also a very fresh selector. Finally, I think Ali Bilal is an incredibly exciting talent. He is relatively new to music production, but has quickly started making some of the slickest and most refined techno that I’ve heard come out of Australia in a while.
