funicular prism (2026)

release notes

Produced and recorded by Matthew Florianz.

Thank you Gene Williams for your creative feedback and guidance and Peter van Cooten for helping with the sequencing and creative feedback on this album and titles.

released May 14, 2026

   "... focused, spatial, and emotionally direct ... "

Funicular Prism
Walking along the outlines.

“Funicular Prism” began three years ago during a turbulent period and the early recordings reflected that, full of raw processing and experimental sound design. With time my initial primal creative reaction settled and I revisited the material introducing more warmth, tone, and shape. What started as a mirror of a moment has been shaped into an impression of it. A quality that frequent collaborator Mindspawn described as having a character that hints at years working in game audio: focused, spatial, and emotionally direct.

I have recorded this release on the ASM Hydrasynth, Korg Prologue, Korg X5D, Arturia Minibrute 2S and Behringer RD-9. The audio from these synthesisers has been processed in my studio to explore a long-standing fascination with the space between music and sound design, a place where textures become narratives and melodies slowly emerge.

As Ambientblog noted about earlier work, the soundscapes evoke “... wide sonic — yet unearthly — landscapes ...” that invite the listener into a dreamlike state of exploration. “Funicular Prism” continues in this direction, with immersive environments, subtle melodic movement, and a blend of music and sound design.

The music is mastered at 96khz/24bit* (*requires download) and translates beautifully on both headphones and speakers. While not a binaural release, it feels spacious, intimate, and encompassing in both formats. I encourage listening at a generous volume.

I hope the listening journey on this album ultimately feels rewarding, perhaps even offering a more optimistic outlook than the one that inspired it.

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