There’s something wildly satisfying about a track that makes your head nod and your brain spin. “Don’t Believe Everything They Say” by KNARS is exactly that: a controlled explosion of garage-driven fury, glitchy rebellion and poetic thought that doesn’t wait for your permission. It grabs your attention from the first hit and doesn’t let go—because, frankly, it doesn’t care whether you’re ready.
This is KNARS at his most raw. There’s a swagger to the chopped-up 2-step beat, like it knows it’s about to cause trouble and is already halfway out the door. The vocal delivery sits somewhere between spoken word, chant, and razorblade—sharp, deliberate, impossible to ignore. There’s something addictive in the way the distorted textures loop and grind, and then, just when you think the track’s only here to mess you up, it drops a reflective line or a melodic twist that hits deeper than expected. It’s like someone yelling in the street—but what they’re yelling is actually worth hearing.
Lyrically, KNARS taps into the dark corners of modern disillusionment. The kind of stuff you scroll past but can’t unsee. This isn’t paranoia—it’s protest wrapped in Future Garage. You can hear the influence of pirate radio and old-school rave, but it’s warped, bitter and more wired. Think early Burial with a bone to pick, or The Prodigy if they leaned into spoken word and spiritual burn-out. Yet, for all the noise and chaos, it’s tight. It slaps, just like he promised. But then it leaves you with more questions than answers, and that’s where the brilliance really is.
About KNARS:
KNARS (aka Martijn Holtslag) isn’t new to chaos. The Dutch producer/MC/filmmaker has been unsettling audiences since 2017 with visceral videos and bass-heavy rants that toe the line between rave and riot. From the cult favourite “Fuckup” to making it onto the Borderlands 3 trailer, he’s never been quiet or polite. But this new chapter, pulled from his just-dropped full-length album “Don’t Believe Everything They Say”, digs deeper. Less show, more soul—without losing the punch.
Follow KNARS: