Ben UFO

Ben UFO is a DJ's DJ in the plainest sense. Of the three people behind Hessle Audio he is the only one who does not produce, and his reputation rests entirely on selection, timing and a refusal to stay inside one genre. Across radio shows, mix CDs and long club sets he has moved between dubstep, grime, house and techno with the confidence of someone who knows exactly where each record belongs.

Early Life and Path Into Music

The man behind the name is Ben Thomson, according to both Wikipedia and Discogs. His date of birth is not published. The Bandwagon oral history of Hessle Audio says he met Kevin McAuley, later known as Pangaea, at Leeds University in 2004, and that they shared a house from 2005 to 2007 and started going to dubstep raves together. Wikipedia says he began on the pirate station Sub FM, and the oral history ties the label's origins to a club night and weekly radio show called Ruffage on the internet station SubFM.

Sound and Style

Ben UFO started in dubstep and grime and is described as a pure DJ in the Bandwagon piece. The Quietus, in a 2011 interview, noted that he hosts a show on Rinse FM and mentioned a five-hour set he played with Joy Orbison at Plastic People in London. His shows and sets are known for breadth: Wikipedia credits him with curated mixes for BBC radio, fabric and Rinse FM, and says his BBC Essential Mix was shortlisted for mix of the year in 2021.

Discogs' release list shows how far he reaches. It includes mixes for FACT in 2008, Resident Advisor in 2010 and 2015 (RA.500), the 2011 Rinse mix "Rinse: 16" and "Fabriclive 67" in 2013, plus Boiler Room and Dekmantel podcasts. As the Bandwagon article puts it, the Hessle Audio show on Rinse FM airs every Thursday.

The Label Story

Hessle Audio was founded in 2007 in Leeds by Ben UFO, Pangaea and David Kennedy, who records as Pearson Sound and Ramadanman, per The Quietus. The label was initially a dubstep imprint, and the three run it themselves with shared A&R decisions, a process that Bandwagon calls challenging because all three must agree. The same piece says early releases 004 to 006, including Martyn's remix of TRG's "Broken Heart", Ramadanman's "Blimey" and Pangaea's 006, were the first to reach a wider dance audience, and that Hessle helped break Blawan and Joy Orbison.

Wikipedia lists the label's span as house, techno, UK garage, dubstep and electronica, with releases by Pearson Sound, Objekt, James Blake, Blawan, Martyn, Peverelist and Olof Dreijer of The Knife. Pearson Sound's self-titled album followed in 2015, according to Bandwagon, and Discogs lists more than 170 entries under the label. The scene around it has influenced a younger generation as well: our Batu profile notes that the Bristol producer met Ben UFO at Motion on his 18th birthday and later released on Hessle Audio.

Career Highlights

Ben UFO has been booked on bills that favour long, selective sets. RTS.FM's festival guides mention his name in the first Houghton line-up in August 2017, alongside Ricardo Villalobos, as told in our Houghton Festival guide, and in the 2025 edition of Lente Kabinet. In 2026 he played one of the all-night Métropolis programs at the MUTEK festival in Montreal, and was billed for the Sunflower sound system at Head Trip in Indio, California, in October 2026, as covered in our hi-fi sound system report.

FAQ

Who is Ben UFO?

Ben UFO is the DJ name of Ben Thomson, a British DJ and co-founder of the London-based Hessle Audio label with Pangaea and Pearson Sound. He is known for broad, selective sets and his long-running Rinse FM show.

How old is Ben UFO?

Ben UFO has not published his date or year of birth, so his exact age cannot be verified.

Where is Ben UFO from?

Ben UFO is British. Wikipedia describes him as a DJ from London, while the Hessle Audio story began in Leeds, where he met Pangaea at university in 2004.

What genre does Ben UFO play?

He plays a mix that includes dubstep, grime, house, techno and UK garage. He first came up through dubstep and grime and has never settled into a single style.

What is Ben UFO's real name?

His real name is Ben Thomson. He DJs under the name Ben UFO.

Who founded Hessle Audio?

Hessle Audio was founded in 2007 in Leeds by Ben UFO, Pangaea (Kevin McAuley) and Pearson Sound (David Kennedy).

Does Ben UFO make music?

Not as a producer. He is the only one of the three Hessle Audio founders who does not produce, and his work is in DJing, radio and curation.

festivals

• NachtdigitalLeipzig, 30 JUL 2027 - 01 AUG 2027→
• MovementDetroit, 29-31 MAY 2027→
• Love InternationalTisno, 7-13 JUL 2027→
• Nuits SonoresLyon, 5-9 MAY 2027→
• Gottwood FestivalAnglesey, 10-13 JUN 2027→

Past appearances and announced lineups only, each checked against the festival's own records.

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