onbegonnen by Matthew Florianz

Onbegonnen is a collage in flux. An evolving collection shaped by listening. Music and soundscapes are drawn from decades of archived material: live recordings, experiments, unfinished sketches. But unlike traditional releases, Onbegonnen listens back.

The least-streamed tracks quietly disappear, making space for something new. Over time, the album anchors music through engagement, while allowing what’s ignored to quietly erode.

See update log at the end of this message for changes over time

REVIEWS:

"... a kind of ‘generative’ album, but in a way that no one else has thought of before ... "
Peter van Cooten - AmbientBlog

Dutch sound designer Matthew Florianz (currently working in the UK) presents what could be called an ‘evolving album’. Onbegonnen (or: not started) is a collection of ‘archived music, experiments, stepping stones, live recordings, hard to find and unfinished work’ (ironically, none of these are literally ‘Onbegonnen’).

The album collects four tracks (32 minutes) coming from different periods, three of them previously unreleased. Onbegonnen can be downloaded for free (or better: name your price). But there is a good reason why streaming via the Bandcamp app (which is possible if you purchase it for 0.50 GBP or more) is a better way to play it. The ‘least streamed’ tracks will be replaced regularly, which could mean that over time the album tracks may be completely replaced. If you only play the offline version, these plays are not counted so your plays have no impact on the result.

Downloading the album has an added bonus obviously: With its future changes your album will grow bigger and bigger over time – provided you don’t do as Matthew does and do not delete the tracks.

With this in mind, one could say that Onbegonnen is a kind of ‘generative’ album, but in a way that (as far as I know) no one else has thought of before.

About the Release:
‘onbegonnen’ (English: unbeginning) presents archived music, experiments, stepping stones, live recordings, hard to find and unfinished work.

It is not a conventional release, instead the initial presentation will evolve over time. The least streamed tracks will be replaced regularly and in a few months’ time, this could be an entirely different release, presenting new combinations or directions.
An ebb and flow of removal and addition that mirrors my creative processes. Finding an album by sequencing compositions that may or may not coalesce into a release.

This first iteration starts broad, presenting music from four decades.

‘onbegonnen’ is a free release so no need to contribute. If you are kindly wanting to do so one anyway, please consider any of my other albums? Payments are invested in music creation tools and it helps others discover my music. Entirely up to you, I'm already happy that you are listening.

As this is an evolving album come back regularly as tracks will be updated and removed on a regular cadence!

Change Log:

[v1.7 - Saturday 6 Septmber 2024]

Added:
Plakkerig

Removed:
Piano Doodle with Steve Hollis (2018)

[v1.6 - Saturday 3 March 2025]

Added:
Westland - Calais Remix

Removed:
Drowning (2003) - from Self

[v1.4 -Saturday 9 November 2024]

Added:
Drowning (2003) - from Self
Piano Doodle with Steve Hollis (2018)

Removed:
Blurw (2023)
Climbing through a Glasshole (2003) - from Self

[v1.0 - Monday 30 September 2024]

Added:
Soft Pad (1996)
Climbing through a Glasshole (2003) - from Self
Paracynthamol (2017) - Live recording with Stan Linders
Blurw (2023)

Removed:
None

Tracklist

1.	poral (featuring Tamara Tirjak)	17:46

2.	Plakkerig (2012)	9:37

3.	Paracynthamol (2017) - Live recording with Stan Linders	9:06

4.	Thunderstorm (2025) and Maalbeek (2007)	10:45

5.	Soft Pad (1996)	3:47

6.	Onder Een Groene Bank - Demo 2024	5:20

7.	Onder Een Groene Bank - Demo 2025	5:20

Credits

released September 30, 2024

License