Chad VanGaalen is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and visual artist from Calgary, Alberta, born in 1977. He works in indie rock and related alternative styles, and is also known for illustration and animation.

Recording career

VanGaalen begins by issuing a number of independent releases, mostly on homemade CDs with hand-drawn artwork. His 2004 album Infiniheart appears on the Canadian independent label Flemish Eye. It is made up of songs selected from recordings he makes in his bedroom and makeshift studio, and it is later picked up by Sub Pop. In late 2005, it is re-released with a six-song bonus EP titled Green Beans.

His second album, Skelliconnection, is released in 2006 on Sub Pop in the United States and on Flemish Eye in Canada. The album combines new material with tracks that had already appeared on earlier independent recordings, and it includes artwork and videos made by VanGaalen himself. It is shortlisted for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize.

VanGaalen’s third studio album, Soft Airplane, follows in 2008. He later releases Light Information in 2017, which is his sixth record on Sub Pop.

Aliases and collaborations

In 2009, VanGaalen releases the full-length album Snow Blindness is Crystal Antz under the alias Black Mold. In 2015, he collaborates with Seth Smith of Dog Day on the album Seed of Dorzon.

Visual art

Alongside his recordings, VanGaalen creates illustrations and animation. He also animates music videos for J Mascis, Guster and Holy Fuck.