Born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta, Ty Vanden Dool is an unusual figure in a local music scene populated with folk, country and hard rock: a synthpop artist.

 

Ty graduated from the University of Lethbridge music program in 2017, majoring in Digital Audio Arts and learning skills and techniques from classical music writing to studio-based production. He is also a former volunteer for campus radio CKXU 88.3 FM, where he hosted The View from Here, Keys & Reverb and The National Top 10.

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Using his last name as a stage name, Vanden Dool recorded his first song under the moniker in 2014, starting several years worth of online demo releases. In 2019, this back catalogue was cleared to make way for a self-titled official debut album, polishing off 10 of his most recent tracks. The album received a warm reception from Divide and Conquer ("This is an electronic based sound doused with fresh air.") and a brief nod by Cups N Cakes ("The themes explored in the songs along with Vanden Dool’s effervescent voice gives the album a hauntingly timeless quality.")

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This year's EP,  named The View from Here after his first radio show, is a snapshot of life in his hometown, complete with the retro synth sounds and melancholic lyricism his listeners are well-familiar with. The EP earned even more praise from Cups N Cakes, who described it as "a high-energy, explosive synth-pop sound with a unique storyteller energy".

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Vanden Dool has played several shows in his hometown as well as toured between Victoria, BC and Montreal, Quebec. Artists he has shared the stage with include ACTORS, Chersea, Friends of Foes, Glass Apple Bonzai, Hello Moth, Kane Incognito, King of Foxes, Old Soul Rebel, Royal Oak, Strvngers and Too Soon Monsoon. He is also a member of Southern Alberta folk group Joshua Beebe and the Forest Orchestra.