WHO THE F*CK?

Vern Avola is a composer, multimedia artist, instructor, and champion of friendship, born in Italy and based in Portland, Oregon. Known for their solo project Trigger Object, as well as performances under the monikers EMS, Avola, and Dirty Centaur, Avola s work thrives in the unpredictable, messy corners of life, weaving together deep electronic soundscapes, raw energy, and a wry sense of humor. Their music geomaps the hidden layers of the present moment—from the guttural subterranean and the hallways of punk and DIY culture to themes of consensual abduction and flight. Avola s compositions hold space for the physical and emotional stretches that emerge as emblems of safety in a world grappling with political predestination and societal truths. Through their work, Avola invites listeners to think and exist beyond the confines of man’s algorithm, offering a sonic refuge that is both disorienting and illuminating.
As the founder of EMS Records, Avola has created a platform primarily dedicated to their own releases, crafting limited-run LPs, cassettes, and CDs that feel like treasures for the weirdos and wanderers. Their music has also found a home on respected labels such as Sige Recordings, An Out Recordings, Accident Prone Records, and Nadine Records. Avola s sound has been described as “wonderfully crunchy and kinetic,” with a “delirious, Amanita Muscaria-soaked sense of dynamics”—raw, unfiltered, and shaped by the randomness of life: a stray conversation, an unexpected noise, or a fleeting moment in nature.
Avola s collaborative work includes projects with artists like Daniel Menche (as Bear Spray), Ian Gorman Weiland (as Elrond), Vo Vo (An Out Recordings), and the Australian band DEAD. They’ve also been a member of bands like Prizehog (2006–2015) and Shrew Florist (2005–2012). Live performances are where Avola truly shines, using the energy of the room as an instrument to create communal, alive moments that blur the line between artist and audience.
Beyond music, Avola hosts a bi-weekly radio show on Repeater Radio in the UK, curating playlists that are as unpredictable and engaging as their own work. At its core, Avola s art is about finding sparks of light in unexpected places, often with a touch of humor, reminding us that even in life’s chaos, there’s always something worth tuning into.

Bio by Stephanie Berzon and Nina Shaw

Photos by many folks