New Album 'Final Start' Out Now!
Final Start is inspired to the grunge era of the 90s. That sound has always intrigued me, and with this album I wanted to write songs that leaned into more contemporary structures — shorter, more direct — while still carrying the spirit of that time. Of course, they’ll never be 90s grunge songs, because I’m a different musician and a different person. But those records I grew up on are still in my ears and in my heart. I tried to capture that in the mixing too, since I consciously chased some of that raw, familiar character from the albums we all know and love.
So yeah, the plan was: shorter songs, tighter structures. Did I stick to it? Kind of. A couple of longer ones slipped through (I couldn’t help myself haha).
Beyond the influences, though, these are again personal songs. Not always my stories per se, but stories I can relate to and empathize with. In the end, “Final Start” is inspired by grunge, but I think it’s also undeniably me. It’s a Dimitri album through and through, and I’m proud of every track on it.
About Dimitri Toonen
Dimitri Toonen is a Dutch musician and producer who ignores genre boundaries, merging progressive rock, cinematic textures, grunge energy, and intimate songwriting into a sound that is unmistakably his own.
His debut, Leave My Mind Sometimes, blended small, acoustic-based songs with his love for film music, creating something intimate yet cinematic. The follow-up, Sounds From Emotions, drew on deeply personal memories, translating them into melancholic, progressive, and guitar-driven songs. What began as a title he first wrote down as a teenager became a fitting vessel for one of his most emotional and therapeutic creative periods.
His latest album, Final Start, channels the restless spirit of 90s grunge into music that is raw and direct, yet still carries the depth, atmosphere, and scale that define his work.
Across three albums, Dimitri has built a voice that feels personal, expansive, and ever evolving — music less about fitting into genres than about telling stories through sound.
