Vanden Dool releases new electronica CD inspired by Lethbridge

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When one thinks of small rural cities like Lethbridge, electronica music usually isn’t the first type of music to come to mind, usually one thinks of folk or country music.
However on July 3, Lethbridge electronica musician Tyler Vanden Dool releases his first official  EP of  ’80s pop inspired music “The View From Here,” which is about living in Lethbridge.

Tyler Vanden Dool playing the Owl Acoustic Lounge. photo by Richard Amery
“It follows my first full length album so it’s my first official EP, though I released two pandemic EPs for charity, said Vanden Dool, 25, noting his parents were more into ’80s hard rock  like Def Leppard and Bon Jovi than ’80s electro pop.


“But I heard it on the retro radio station, 94.1, and I realized that was the direction I wanted to go, noting he took to the music of Depeche Mode, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD)  and the Pet Shop Boys, who he is often compared to.


 “Then I got into bands like M83 and Chvrches who are influenced by ’80s music,” he said.
“I just liked the grandness of the sound,” he said, adding he also appreciates the willingness of artists in the late ’70s and early ’80s to experiment with their music.


He wrote, produced and recorded the EP at home, beginning last summer and finishing the last song in February. He had to replace  his computer, so  the EP was delayed while he learned the new  machine.

“There’s a lot of MIDI sequencing and keyboards and percussion.  There’s also some acoustic guitar because you have to have some acoustic guitar on an EP about Southern Alberta. I even recorded some rain stick,” he said.

 Vanden Dool was to embark on a tour in support of the EP but had to cancel it due to Covid.
“I’ll reschedule them when it is deemed appropriate to do so and there are no new cases,” he said.
“I want to play the major cities in Alberta and B.C. But as soon as it is safe I want to play more local shows,” he said adding there was some discussion of opening the Owl Acoustic Lounge patio for a live shows.

 
“ I’d be open to that. That way you can hear it from the street without having to go into the venue,” he said.


 Vanden Dool has been making music since around 2014.
“ I’ve been performing since 2015,” Vanden Dool said, noting he is learning to perform again with the new equipment.
 He noted the EP will be available on CD as well as online. He’s happy to personally deliver CD within the city.
 They cost $10 in the city, $15 within Canada to cover shipping and $20  internationally to cover international shipping. He can only accept e- transfers and PayPal transactions.
“ I hope people like it,” he said.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor


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