I consider troubled times to be some of life’s most powerful instigators of paradigm shifts in perspective. Whether collectively experienced or confined to one’s own turbulent mind and being, crises are defined by periods in which re-examining and re-evaluating one’s current state of being become a prime concern one can no longer ignore. To adapt and overcome is to grow past your previous condition, nudging you further away from the person you once were and the world you once saw.

As a title, ‘At Last I Accept the End of All that I hold Dear’ prefaces the album’s content with an explicit conclusion. Vallefuoco hones in on the process of destruction and renewal that characterizes the process of making a record, whether it be as an account of experiences within a certain time frame or as an arrangement of sound.

Through the use of acoustic and electronic instruments interacting with sound clips, field recordings and found objects, Vallefuoco depicts the process of self-actualization through cathartic and sublime disintegration. Like soundscapes in the vicinity of an oncoming black hole, structural conventions in rhythm, melody and harmony are bent out of shape and reconfigured before disappearing into a vacuum.

Bacon Grease (Prelude) greets its listener with a quirky yet serene arrangement of ambient noise. Sparse piano notes share space with objects scratched, dropped and rummaged around, unidentified oscillating objects, whispered voices and glockenspiel punctuations.
The sizzle of bacon grease evokes the cracks and pops of a vinyl record whilst providing a homely setting set for imminent demolition for the album’s epicenter One of God’s Monsoons.

The 32 minute track serves as the apocalyptic epicenter of the record, the eye of the storm in which perceptions and preconceptions are torn apart and reduced to dust from which we rebuild ourselves anew.

A lifeless living room with a lone TV set is flooded with the sounds of feedback, lethargic chords and groggy drum grooves that gradually swell into a whirlwind of pure chaos, dissolving all adjacent sounds into pure texture, raw sound. A voice eventually emerges from the rubble, singing a bittersweet yet triumphant swansong as the second storm approaches to wipe the remaining ruins.

From the purgatorial void, life and musical order gradually reclaims its place on 6.2.22. Our senses bask in the warmth of the apocalyptic afterglow. An Intergalactic space guitar wails and weeps into the distance as lone sound objects float in orbit, clashing and coalescing to form melodic and rhythmic segments. An organ chimes a broken gospel to conjure the break of a new dawn.

From here, 5.23.22. sees the emergence of a new soundscape, fleshed out by field recordings and glassy synth melodies. A sense of peace and serenity is restored, if only for a brief moment. As if to remind us of the cyclical nature of creating and renewal, the track suddenly cuts to an outburst of blaring drones, a callback to chaotic the journey reaching its end and foreboding a cycle about to be renewed…

Hopeful yet tainted with a tint of the bittersweet, ‘At Last I Accept the End of All that I hold Dear’ underscores moments of comforting quietude that emerge in dire moments when everything is ripped from under our feet.

-Robin Ono

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Artist Bio:


Brent Vallefuoco stands at the crossroads of myriad musical influences, experiences, and disciplines, embodying the essence of a genre-bending performer-composer. His sound is a potent mix of abstract soundscapes, drawing elements from shoegaze's sonic nebula and the complexities of avant-garde, each composition a testament to his unique musical vision.

Brent's musical odyssey commenced with the stirring rhythms of Pink Floyd, igniting his passion for music. Progressing from this foundational influence, he embarked on his first significant musical project with the progressive Black Metal band, Xanthochroid. As a young musician, he delved into diverse musical landscapes. His exploration ultimately led him to the politically-charged and vibrant DIY music scene of Orange County. Here, he honed his craft with local bands at venues like Beatnik Bandito and Riff Mountain, hosted shows from his home, and provided his production skills to other inspired artists.

While studying music composition at California State University, Long Beach, Brent immersed himself in the world of experimental music and modern composition. Simultaneously, the writings of intellectuals like Jean Baudrillard, and Deleuze and Guattari, began to shape his artistic perspective, prompting a challenge to elitist norms in contemporary art music and affirming the raw energy of the underground music culture.

Brent's music breathes the rebellious spirit of the CCRU, offering a dynamic sonic portrayal of life within a society saturated by media and internet culture. It embodies the tension between authenticity and artifice that defines our post-internet era. His work draws upon the musical concepts of Pauline Oliveros, Morton Feldman, and John Cage, as well as the surrealistic cultural narratives spun by vaporwave artists such as James Ferraro and Oneohtrix Point Never, transforming moments in time into resonant soundscapes.

An enduring love for the electric guitar is a constant throughout Brent's musical journey. Inspired by the intricate fingerpicking styles found in folk music, the angular complexity of math rock, and the immersive walls of sound of shoegaze and black metal, his work showcases his fascination with distortion's timbral complexities and clipping characteristics. His compositions reimagine the role of the electric guitar in contemporary music, injecting fresh creative potential into an instrument often perceived as exhausted.

Since 2012, Brent has played a crucial role at Hear No Evil Studios as a producer and mastering engineer. His music isn't just about sound -- it's a quest to understand identity in the 21st century, offering listeners a glimpse into Brent Vallefuoco's evolving musical world.