Bender on UNVRS Residency, New Single "Stomp," Burning Man, and More

In an industry obsessed with viral moments and predictable formulas, Bender has carved out something entirely different. The enigmatic producer, known simply as "the most famous DJ you've never heard of," has spent years cultivating a unique path through electronic music's most authentic spaces; from Burning Man's Purple Party, where he's taken over the decks for Carl Cox five consecutive years, to the legendary disco toilets at Hï Ibiza.

Now, halfway through his coveted residency at UNVRS in The Wild Comet—a micro-club hidden within the restrooms of Ibiza's newest hyperclub—Bender is experiencing what he calls "one of the best summers of my life." With releases on major labels like Universal and Atlantic, radio support from BBC and Tiësto's Club Life, and performances spanning Tomorrowland to intimate underground spaces, his career defies easy categorization.

Recently, he's channeled that creative restlessness into Marvelous Accidents, his label platform that embraces what he calls "musical ADHD"— a rejection of genre constraints in favor of authentic expression. With recent releases "WTF?" and "STOMP" showcasing his range, and his UNVRS residency offering six-hour journeys through sound, Bender is proving that the most powerful electronic music happens when artists refuse to be limited.

Here, he opens up about finding magic in unconventional spaces, the freedom of creative rebellion, and why the most unforgettable dance floor moments happen when nobody's watching.

You’re now halfway through your UNVRS residency at The Wild Comet. How has playing in a micro-club hidden within the restrooms compared to your usual festival and main room experiences?

The short and sweet answer: it's been one of the best summers of my life! While in comparison to the main room, it's considered a "micro club," in my opinion, the energy in that room can be bigger than festivals. I always base a good party not on the number in attendance, but by the vibe those attending bring.

I played my first shows in the Hï toilets back in 2019, and every year since, I count my calendar around Burning Man and returning to Ibiza solely to play in this room. Which is why I was in disbelief with gratitude when they gave me a proper residency at UNVRS. I've even joked every summer with the bookers and owners of Night League that even when my career explodes, and they want me in the main room... in my contract... I want one night in the toilets for every set I play in the main room. So if that doesn't describe my love for this room, I don't know what will!

“STOMP” follows “WTF?” as your latest release on Marvelous Accidents. How do these tracks represent the evolution of your “musical ADHD” philosophy, and what’s driving your creative direction right now?

Well, just listening to the two records back to back, you can hear clear differences and clear similarities within them both. "WTF?" is a bit more commercial, but still high energy, as well as familiar samples. "STOMP" is a bit more underground, nudged a little more for the "cool kids."

"STOMP," in my opinion, is a record more DJs can play because although there's a familiar sample, it doesn't cross over the border of being too much. Which I, as a DJ, have no problem doing. But I also think it's important to make club records that work for other artists as well. I play various parties, and some records you can get away with more than others, which is why I make records for both situations; that way, I'm always prepared.

Skating that fine line of being too much, but still staying authentic to myself, is something I pride myself on. As for the "musical ADHD," I think the more releases we put out, the more you'll see the range in actual sounds and styles. And certain parties call for certain styles, so what inspires the various tracks is playing various parties and knowing you want something that fits for every specific moment.

The Wild Comet at UNVRS is described as one of the most unforgettable rooms in the building. What makes playing in such an intimate, unconventional space special, and how do you adapt your sets for that environment?

I think what plays a big role in the love for this room is that some people prefer a more intimate space to party. It's easier to feel connected, there's no separation (VIP/GA), there's just good music, big smiles, and strangers waiting to become friends.

Like, for example, a giant conga line started at last week's show around the room. It's a safe and welcoming environment, and that's why moments like last week's conga line can happen. It's a shift in energy from what's happening outside those bathroom doors, which makes it alluring.

The main room at UNVRS is massive. And due to its sheer impressiveness, as well as its world-renowned headliners, it's the perfect recipe for attendees to feel the need to record most of the moments. Where in the Wild Comet, people want to record the moment, and they do record the moment... but then they quickly put their phone away and choose to live IN THE MOMENT instead. Which is beautiful. It's that type of magic that made us all fall in love with dance music in the first place.

Plus, playing a 6-hour set gives you so much time to express yourself, I can play so many different sounds and styles. I can appeal to so many different tastes. I can curate more of a journey. I can give every person, with every type of preference, a scoop of what they want. And by the end of the night, you've created a Baskin-Robbins super sundae that might look messy... but for anyone who stuck a spoon in it, thought it was delicious.

You’ve described Marvelous Accidents as a “rebellious statement against conformity.” Now that you’re a few releases in, how is the label helping you express sides of your artistry that might not fit elsewhere?

I think it's still too early to really relay the message I'm trying to get across. But I think this label is the perfect vessel to not be limited. There's no one who's telling me what I can and can't release or can and can't create. Which means I can make and play whatever I feel, and whatever given moment I'm feeling inspired to do so, I can. That type of freedom is priceless.

Your career spans from Burning Man’s Purple Party to major festivals like Tomorrowland, and now this unique Ibiza residency. What draws you to these diverse, almost opposite ends of the electronic music spectrum?

I'm not drawn to physical locations, I'm drawn to the people who fill those places. Which is why you may think these parties are opposite sides of the spectrum, but in my opinion, they're more similar than not.

Sure, one party is in the desert, one is a nightclub, the other is a multimillion-dollar festival production... but without the people who fill those spaces... It's just an empty grass field, an empty building on an island, or a literal deserted desert.

The magic of these places is the people who come together for their love of music, to escape their day-to-day life, and for one night, one weekend, or one week... live in that moment like the rest of the world doesn't matter. That's why I'm drawn to these places. Because these places draw the right people!

With releases on major labels like Universal and Atlantic, plus radio support from BBC and Tiësto’s Club Life, what made you decide to launch your own label instead of continuing with established imprints?

Mainly because the majors don't care anymore. They only care when the money is already there. There's no such thing as artist development anymore, and it's sad.

Unless you're a viral TikTok sound or a festival headliner, you're just a book that gets shelved in a massive library. And I don't want to collect dust on a shelf until someone deems me a valuable collector's piece.

And I also don't want a collector who doesn't care about their collection to be the beneficiary of my potential future value. I want you to see my value now. Those who see that now are the ones who deserve to benefit when it becomes valuable.

You’ve been trusted with coveted slots like Carl Cox’s Purple Party takeover for five consecutive years. What does that level of respect from legends like Carl mean to you, and how does it influence your approach?

Carl is an absolute gift in my life. Not just for his physical support of my career, but for teaching us the real way to wield power. Carl is the kindest, most humble person in the industry.

For someone who holds his stature, he deserves every right to have an enormous ego. Yet there's not even the smallest whiff of ego in any aspect of him. He genuinely LOVES what he does, and it shows through his music, and it shows through how he treats people. I truly wish every person in this industry could be more like him. It would be a far less toxic place.

So, to answer your question, his greatest influence on me is to be the best version of myself. To be grateful for this life we're so lucky to live. To treat everyone I meet with kindness. And if I'm ever fortunate enough to become even remotely as successful as him, to give back. To share the love. To share the opportunities. And to share those glorious dance floor moments, for as long as humanly possible ❤️

The concept of playing open-to-close sets in a bathroom might sound absurd to some, but UNVRS has created something genuinely unique. How do you think unconventional venues like this are changing the clubbing experience?

What The Night League does is truly indescribable. First and foremost, they are literally the most well-oiled machine on the face of the earth. And I'm not just talking about in music/events. I'm talking across the board in any industry.

The team, which is mostly run by women (which I think plays a massive role in why everything is so perfect), is the most professional, kind, and hardworking people I've ever met.

Combine that with the visionary genius of Yann and Romain, and it's no wonder they're literally the Walt Disney of nightclubs. They're just so far ahead of everyone else in terms of creation and execution. They have their finger so firmly placed on the pulse of the industry that they think about what we want before we even know we want it.

And they also perfectly cater to everyone's wants and desires. You want an outdoor spectacle? You've got Ushuaïa. You want a multi-room club with the choice of a VIP experience or a raw dance floor night of dancing? You've got Hï. You want a festival inside a nightclub? You've got UNVRS. You want a more intimate party inside that party? You've got the Wild Corner and Wild Comet. Or maybe you want a place to go to comfortably talk while having a drink or a cigarette? You've got beautiful patios right outside the dance floor doors.

They've thought of it all. And what's most impressive is they create a new experience inside of that experience EVERY DAY. You could literally go to all 3 clubs every day for a week straight, and not one experience will be the same.

Like I said, it's indescribably impressive. They've set the bar so high, the rest of the world is just limboing under it.