Rejection Ratio return after decades with a rediscovered time-capsule of live recordings, transformed into a newly released album that blends raw emotion, authenticity, and genre-defying creativity. In this interview, they reflect on the past, the healing that shaped their journey, and the resonance their music still carries today.
1. Your music was recorded live in a single take back in 1997. Listening to it again decades later, what struck you the most about those raw sessions when you revisited the DAT tape?
It was like opening a time capsule. When we listened to it, we realized that it was so good we needed to release it as an album. We had to give it to the world instead of wasting it and leaving it behind. Somehow everything was leading us to do that. So much could have stopped the process, but it didn’t. It took a lot of work to find the right equipment and the right person to translate it from tape to computer while preserving the sound quality. But it was destined to happen.
2. The band went silent due to Nelly’s unexpected hearing issues. How did the journey of healing—and eventually discovering the real cause—shape the emotional tone of the album today?
We wanted the sound of the album to capture exactly the emotions and musical drive we felt when playing together. That’s why nothing new was added or changed. For example, we wanted the vocals to sound as authentic as possible, so we did not allow any autotune or pitch correction. Through authenticity, we aimed to bring the album’s emotions and feel directly to our listeners.
3. Rejection Ratio blends rock, pop, new wave, and alternative without fitting into a clear category. How do you approach creating music that’s intentionally genre-defying yet still cohesive?
We created our music mostly by jamming. But the basics of some songs were made at home by a single person. This combination of jamming and occasional personal redirection truly diversified the style. Ruud, Ton, and I (Nelly) always wrote the lyrics. I somehow knew which lyric I would have to sing with which tune. We all have a love for different types of music, so why fit into one category only? Blending music shows our love and compassion for all music.
5. The remastering process involved the same person who initially recorded the tracks in 1997. What was it like to collaborate again after all these years, and what did you aim to preserve versus enhance in the sound?
We lost connection with Theo, who recorded and mixed the album. Somehow we found him again and reconnected. We got our friend back! It was like it had to happen. Theo just knew exactly how our music had to be mastered. He made the sound better but still preserved the sound of that time. I think no one could have done it better, also because of his love for the album, which you can somehow hear.
6. Your YouTube release has been gaining organic engagement without promo budgets or Spotify exposure. How important is authenticity and direct connection with listeners in this new phase of Rejection Ratio?
Authenticity is very important to us, and connecting with the listeners is so important in this mad world. I would love to hear what they think. I think that making music is important to help everyone feel better and to connect with each other. If you read this, I dare you to check out our other videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@rejectionratio and visit our website: https://rejectionratio.com/ . Leave your comments below our videos on YouTube. We would love to hear from you! Our full album Acceptance Quotum Resonance is available exclusively on iTunes and Amazon Music. Our second album will be out next year, so keep following us for updates.
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