Last February, Jorge Vallentine released Grace, For Those Who Need It, a four-song EP that chronicles his “journey through the unraveling of a difficult relationship [he’d] been in for 12 years.” A few months later, the Milwaukee singer/songwriter put out “God In Everything,” a standalone single about his process of working through self-doubt and opening himself up to loving someone again. In the months since that output, Vallentine’s ongoing personal growth and development has made its way into his music in other ways. Most noticeably, he decided it was finally time to embrace the dark themes and sounds that have been inside of him the whole time.
“I realized that although I was writing about heavy themes and experiences for years, I was still afraid of what people would think if I were to fully lean into that,” Vallentine tells Milwaukee Record. “Then I realized that nearly all of the artists who have helped me through my darkest times have been those who shine a light on the most difficult things in life, and their music and visual identities reflect that.”
Finally giving himself permission to explore less inviting artistic terrain, Vallentine has resurfaced with VLNTYN, a self-described “dark indie rock” band he fronts. The quartet made its live debut late last year and has slowly been putting out singles along the way. Today, VLNTYN’s catalog grew with the release of “Swimming In The Sun,” a dreary and guitar-driven single that nods in the general direction of Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith over the course of four-plus minutes. Meet VLNTYN, hear Jorge Vallentine like you’ve never heard him before, and stream “Swimming In The Sun” below (or on Spotify).