With Don’t Look Away, Ordinary Rebel crafts hip-hop that feels both vintage and futuristic, stitching vinyl crackle, tape grit, and digital fragments into a raw sonic collage. Refusing to rely on a traditional digital workflow, he leans into tactile sampling and layering, giving the project a lived-in, underground pulse. The result is a record that sounds hand-built, imperfect in all the right ways, and fiercely intentional.
For those who might not know you yet, how would you introduce yourself?
I’m just an ordinary person living a regular life, but always with an eye on what’s happening around us. My music is where I search for both questions and answers in what I see and feel.
If you had to bottle up your sound into just three words, which ones would you choose?
Organic, introspective, and atmospheric.
Which artists (not only music-related) or moments have left the biggest mark on your music?
More than anything, it was the graffiti I saw as a kid in Rotterdam. It made me realise that you can leave your own message in this world, and in a way, shape it to your vision.
When you hit play on your songs, what kind of feeling takes over?
Sometimes I truly feel the emotion I had when creating the track, or the one I want to convey. But honestly, after hearing some of my songs so many times, it can be hard to listen with fresh ears. That’s why it’s beautiful to see how the music takes on a life of its own once I release it.
Can you walk us through the story or emotion behind this track?
As always, I started with the rhythm, and once I found the right sounds and melodies it all came together quickly. There’s an emotional layer to the track that comes from observing everyday life, waiting for the train, standing in line at the bakery, places where people are together yet lost in their own worlds. I’m not necessarily against phones, but I do feel we’ve lost something. With this track, I wanted to capture that sense of absence, that quiet longing.
If you could team up with anyone in the world—no limits—who would be that dream collaborator?
I’d probably think of a rapper or vocalist. Making music is a very personal process for me, and I know from experience that it can be difficult to share that space. But if we’re talking no limits, then Mos Def, Yasiin Bey as he calls himself now, would be a dream collaborator.
Outside of music, what brings you joy or keeps you grounded?
Mostly my girlfriend and her daughter, they remind me of what really matters in life. And beyond that, I enjoy reading comics, especially Batman.
Do you have a favourite quote, ritual or mantra that keeps you motivated on tough days?
There’s a Dutch band called Doe Maar, and they have a song titled Alles gaat voorbij—“everything passes.” I often think of that when things get hard. It’s a simple reminder that whatever happens, it will pass.
