Name: Dennis Hennequin aka Dennis Quin
Nationality: Dutch
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Current release: Dennis Quin's Imagination EP is out via  Haven Trax.
Recommendation for Amsterdam: Amsterdam has got a rich culture and there is so much going on, not only in night life but also on a cultural and historical level. Walk into the city centre, take a bike, look up at the buildings, then take the ferry to Amsterdam North to head to the A’DAM Tower Lookout and enjoy the city view.
Topic I rarely get to talk about: I used to work out a lot, attending to strong-men competitions and such, weight lifting. There is an over 16 year old youtube video where I throw bars / tree trunks as the ‘Dutch Windmill’ hahah. I would still love to do that but the time, effort and tour-schedule won’t let me unfortunately.  Note to self: I have to work out more :)  

If you enjoyed this Dennis Quin interview and would like to know more about his music, visit him on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, and bandcamp.



What were some of the musical experiences which planted a seed for your interest in electronic music?

As a kid I played the piano, I was always into replaying stuff that I heard on the radio and such. I remember I was too stubborn to learn the theory and  was always improvising melodies / changing stuff - which I’m still actually doing today.

A good example is ‘Treat You Right,’ released last year on PIV Records, where the melody and free styling of the piano right before the ‘drop’ is just a one take improvisation of a melody I came up with. I love to do that, not being restricted to common melodies or chord progressions.

Most genres of music make use of electronic production means. What does the term “electronic music” mean today, would you say?

I think Electronic Music (not to be confused with the EDM genre though) represents the era where all music is mostly made within the box (with a computer) and / or with synthesizers.  

I’m not worried about a label for a certain style. For me it’s just house music from left to right, whether it’s deep / melodic / gritty / uptempo / tech etc.

I grew up mainly listening to electronic music but have of lately, along with others I've spoken to, been somewhat disappointed by most new releases. I'd be curious about your own view on this, the “creative health” of the scene and potential reasons for the disappointment.

Music has become content nowadays, you have to accept it. Due to social media the life-span of a track is very short, people are overwhelmed with all the music that’s out there.

For me, I’d like to make timeless music, at least the way I see it. Not jumping on a hype or trend. Of course, adjusting certain sounds and things that appeal to a young fanbase is okay, but not selling my soul when it comes to creating a ‘hit’ or ‘Tiktok’ track.

But it it what it is, you have to embrace the developments and be clever where and how to reach your audience.

What were some of the recent releases, or performances of electronic music that left a deep impact on you?

I think Marsolo’s sound, in general, has been something else lately. Not only his ‘Step By Step’ track, but his way of creating melodies / synthesis and making a mature sound is so refreshing for me.

I love to see how he grew from a student at the school where I teach (Herman Brood Academy) to one of the hottest up and coming artists this year.

What kind of musical/sonic materials, and ideas are particularly stimulating for your work right now?

I recently digitalised some old funk and hip hop records from a friend’s collection.

I like to listen to 80s and 90s beats / hip hop, not the obvious commercial records from back then, but the unknown ones, that inspires me to sample or recreate something that I might use in future productions.

Where do most of your inspirations to create come from – rather from internal  impulses or external ones? Which current social / political / ecological or other developments make you feel like you need to respond as an artist?

When it comes to gathering creativity, it can literally be anything! Listening to a soul / funk and jazz radio station while driving back early morning from a gig, or even scrolling through Tiktok or Instagram. Sometimes I hear a melody or just a spoken word vocal that can lead to a complete track with in a day for me.  

I stay away from politics. My music is for everyone and my mission is to make people step out of their daily matters / issues if you like. Just forget about it and enjoy the music, whether it’s on the dance floor or on your headphones.

Music has become a lot more global, and incorporating elements from other parts of the world or the musical spectrum is commonplace. Do you still think there are city scenes with a distinct, unique sound? How does your local scene influence your work?

I just came back from a holiday / break - and tour in Asia (visiting Japan and Indonesia). I love to sense and smell the culture of music when I’m there.

I realised an idea while I was in Bali, staying in a villa with a rice field view and I used the traditional Balinese Gamelan (as a sampled instrument in my production software) to create something with it. I don’t know if I’ll ever put it out but it was fun to do.

I was born and raised in Amsterdam. In the early 90s, the local Dutch House sound came up and soon after that, the influence of UK and US house and techno. I still see 1992 as a pivotal year for me—the starting point in developing my taste and sound to this day.

How much potential for something “new” is there still in electronic music? What could this “new” look like?

You have to realise that all has been done before.

But on the other hand the unlimited possibilities of working with samples / software make it so easy to work fast, and relatively cheap if you compare it with real instruments / hardware and such. It’s a matter of what you do with your creative flow to create something that feels good for you in the first place.

I often flip samples, reverse them, pitching them down and freak them like crazy, ending up with a ‘new’ synth sound that isn’t standard. I like to challenge myself to work this way, trying to make sounds that didn’t exist before.

What were some of the recent tools you bought, used, or saw/read about which changed your perspective about production, performing, and making music?

I have to admit that AI tools are seriously interesting to use, to isolate vocals or melodies. I’m not using AI to finish a track or to let the ‘system’ do the job, but I see it as a tool to work efficiently and fast to pinpoint an idea. For instance I’ve layered my own vocal recording with an AI voice. Very interesting to work with it. 

Still, I like to keep my work simple, making every element beat / groove myself. I often just turn on my studio computer without a clue where the empty project will take me by the end of the day. That’s the way I enjoy producing my music.

Even if AI will not entirely replace human composition, it looks set to have a significant impact on it. What does the terms composing/producing mean in the era of AI, do you feel?

It’s very clear to me, I think use AI as a tool, not as a goal. It sounds old-fashioned to say that AI will never replace human work, but I think you have to embrace and combine it with authentic human-made music.

I don’t fear the future of AI within music, on other aspects I sometimes do though.

Do you think that there is a limit to what can be done in sound design – and what defines these limits?

There are absolutely no limits! The only limitation is the time you have and the passion and dedication you put into it yourself.

Your ‘own’ sound doesn’t come overnight. It takes on average a couple of years to develop your own output / taste / sound.

In as far as it is applicable to your work, how would you describe the interaction between your music and DJing/DJ culture and clubs?  

The best way is to DJ like a producer and to produce like a DJ. This might sound stupid but for me it makes sense.

When I create music I most often close my eyes and think about the moment I play the track at a big festival or intimate club. Would the crowd appeal to this? How can I make them dance and keep them vibing, what about the variation.

I think imagination and visualising yourself playing the track during the production process are key to connecting the dots between creating a track in a studio on a Tuesday morning while you drink your coffee and envisioning yourself playing it at your shows.

Are there approaches, artists, festivals, labels, spaces or anyone/-thing else out there who you feel deserve a shout out for taking electronic music into the future?

I love the diversity of festivals here in the Netherlands. I’m able to play different sets, sometimes even in one day, because the country is so small.

I love it when a stage isn’t only programmed by one sound or sub-genre. At the end of the day, it’s our job to make people dance and smile, without being restricted by certain expectations or labels.