Backstage at ANTS: Dennis Quin interview

Dennis Quin is a house DJ and producer from Amsterdam, Netherlands, who’s making a name for himself on the international scene. The Eardrums label boss takes cues from Todd Terry and Masters at Work in his sound, as well as UK garage and ‘90s Dutch house. All the while staying committed to fresh sounds and new perspectives in the genre. He’s released on Beeyou, Solid Grooves, and Eastenderz, while traveling the world and DJing at renowned clubs and festivals. He made his ANTS debut at Ushuaïa Ibiza on Saturday 05 September, sharing the stage with Franky Rizardo, Riordan, Chelina Manuhutu, and Raul Rodriguez.

We sat down with Dennis Quin before the show to discuss his early inspirations, working with Kerri Chandler, and becoming a full-time DJ in his mid-40s.

Hi Dennis. So, tell us where you’re coming from.

I was born and raised in Amsterdam and got hooked on house music in the early ‘90s when I bought my first vinyl records. Since then it has become my DNA, my lifeline. 

At the time were there any specific clubs that were important?

I first went out to The Palace, near Amsterdam. I also went out to Club iT, which was US house, UK garage and Dutch club house blending all seamlessly together. That was the time when I thought; wait a minute, this music is next-level good, I want to do something with it. That was 1993 or ‘94, something like that. So, yeah, I’m a senior [laughs].

That makes sense, I can hear UK garage in your sound.

I think nowadays anything goes, right? So if the groove is there, if it's gritty... For me it needs to be breathing authenticity, it needs to be real. I like using old school samples and I really love to confuse people on the dancefloor. Like, isn't that that ‘90s record? But no, it isn't, because it's sounding way more dynamic… So I like confusing people with old school sounds in a new way, with new production. That's the blend, the mixture I do in my sets.

Were there any specific songs that hooked you in your early years?

There was a dubby, ravey house tune from 1993, Pancake “Don't Turn Your Back On Me”.  I was there when it was first played. It’s a Dutch club house anthem from back in the day, very underground. I remember I went to the record store once I knew the title and they said, “No. That’s only for the heads, man. You have to go to the normal record shop, you’re just a kid” [laughs]. But yeah, that was one of the tracks. Of course, “You Were In My System” Kerri Chandler. That's one of my favourite tracks too. I was very happy to officially remix it and collaborate with Kerri. 

Wow. What was working with Kerri like?

It wasn't planned at all. We recorded this track for my late mum, “Be Strong”. That was my ultimate dream, to make something for her. I’d met Kerri a couple of times and we connected instantly. So I texted him and he came up with the singer Troy Denari. We recorded that session and Troy said, “Wait a minute, before you go. I've got the outtakes, the stems, and the acapella of “You Are In My System” that we recorded at Southport Weekender in the UK”. So I used those to make a set edit for that. Then the label reached out to me in Amsterdam and they said, “We got a test pressing of your remix. It's gonna come out”. I'm like, “Wow, this is a dream come true!”. So it wasn't actually planned but, as they say, the rest is history.

That’s so cool. Let’s go back in time a bit. When did you first get into producing?

I wasn't producing music till 2010. Before that I played keys, I played instruments, I was always into the musical side of things. It was four years ago that I started DJing and producing full time.

Do you have a specific approach to making music?

My studio is in my attic and sometimes I just get inspired by scrolling on TikTok. My algorithm is always like classic ‘90s music or rave music and I think; this is a nice melody, maybe I can recreate it? Sometimes I'm very efficient at making tracks, I can deliver one or two tracks a day if I'm on a roll. It’s kind of addictive, as well. When I was touring in the US, in San Francisco and Las Vegas two weeks ago, I kept thinking, I need to go to the studio. I missed studio time where I'm on my own and just doing my thing in my man cave.

Do you have some releases coming up?

I’ve got a lot of unreleased tracks ready, but I don’t want to rush everything. For the rest of this year, from September onwards, three releases are planned.

When did you start playing in Ibiza?

I first performed in Ibiza in 2019. I was about to quit my day job that year. I’d been working full-time as a Sales Manager and I said to my partner that I think I need to resign. I was working in sales for more than 20 years. Then I quit when everything opened up after COVID and I played some shows in Ibiza. The history of the island always grabbed me, the atmosphere, there’s a whole blend of everything. I'm super happy that I'm playing for you guys as well on the 5th of September.  

Have you been to Ushuaïa Ibiza before?

I visited but I’ve never played there. I love the vibe and the swimming pool and the whole ambience. I think it's a great venue. I played [UNVRS] and I played Hï Ibiza two weeks ago, and Ushuaïa Ibiza is on my bucket list.

Are you a fan of ANTS?

I’ve been following ANTS for a long time and I love the vibe. I think and slowly it’s moving towards the more housey stuff. The tech house side of it is still alive, don't get me wrong, but sound-wise it feels like it’s evolving to something new. House is back now more than ever and that's where me and ANTS cross paths. 

What can people expect from your set this Saturday? 

I'm currently making a lot of new tunes this week and I can't wait to give them a first play on Saturday. I think it’ll be energetic with a lot of very exclusive material. I never prepare my sets that much anymore. Sometimes people down the front ask for “The Mindshaker” or other tracks that you might expect, but sometimes I just do the opposite [laughs]. 

Do you have a favourite song to play in your set at the minute?

Mella Dee sent me this “Changes” track. I played it in Amsterdam last weekend and it went off crazy. So I love that vibe. I love Mella Dee. I love what he's doing. So when it's the right moment to switch the vibe from deep to energetic that's one of my tracks I’ll definitely play.

Where should people start if they’re new to you?

My TikTok and socials in general. Once a month I do unreleased Tuesday's posts, so I give people an insight into what I'm currently making. I don’t upload every set I play online because sometimes I don't want people to rip things from them, but SoundCloud is a good source.

Apart from the ANTS gig, what else is going on for you at the minute?

Job De Jong and I are going to do a tour in the UK, in Edinburgh and Dublin as well, and closing in Amsterdam. We’re playing all night long. We did a fabric set last December and our agency went crazy because the requests were coming in asking, when can you do it again? So we’re doing it. There's also my new EP which is coming out the second week of September, so I'm super excited about that. I'm fully booked till New Year's Day of next year and then I'm taking a holiday break. It's been crazy. What this year is bringing is unbelievable. I'm super happy people still support me and follow what I do. 2026 has been the best year ever for me. 

That’s great, man. My last question is why do you DJ?

When you're DJing, you're kind of absorbing your own music and you see the connections it makes. I love to read the crowd. I've got this vision when I'm producing, I just close my eyes and visualise being somewhere like the Warehouse Project in the UK, or at Ushuaïa Ibiza, then I create a track and I get to play it there. It’s like being on cloud nine! So DJing isn't just about playing tracks, it's about absorbing the music, reading the crowd and that whole combination, the whole recipe. That makes it super interesting for me.

Dennis Quin played ANTS at Ushuaïa Ibiza on Saturday 05 September 2026. He DJed alongside Franky Rizardo, Riordan, Chelina Manuhutu, and Raul Rodriguez. ANTS runs every Saturday until 03 October. Tickets and VIP tables are available now.