Digital Poodle
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Heiki Sillaste |
| Defunct | 1995 (initially) |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Electro-industrial and Electronic Body Music (EBM) |
Digital Poodle was an electro-industrial and EBM group originating from Toronto, Canada, active from 1986 until 1995.
Background
Established in 1986 by vocalist and programmer Heiki Sillaste (also known as Mouth 392), Digital Poodle was often seen as Toronto's industrial music counterpart to Vancouver's renowned acts such as Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly. Their musical style combined elements of house and techno with European Electronic Body Music (EBM), occasionally integrating ambient and experimental sounds. The lyrical content, primarily crafted by Sillaste, addressed topics surrounding the conclusion of the Cold War and the political independence movements within the Baltic nations and Eastern Europe.
The band's early releases consisted of cassette demos and albums issued through Sillaste's own Shadow label. Their debut CD, Soul Crush (1991), was distributed across North America by Death of Vinyl. This was succeeded by Work Terminal (1992), released jointly by Death of Vinyl and Germany's Hyperium Records. Their last offering, the Combat! EP (1997), predominantly featured remixes derived from previous material.
Contributors in the studio included keyboardists Pupka Frey (from D.I.N.) and Reduct, alongside Rational Youth members Jean-Claude Cutz and Dave Rout. For live shows, drummers Kristian Helstrom, Andreas Gregor, and Dave Rout participated.
In 1995, Sillaste co-launched the Nice+Smooth Ultramedia label and has since produced 45 synthesizer albums while appearing on over 120 compilations. His musical ventures cover genres like electronic dub, downtempo, and house/techno, with projects including Kinder Atom and Lazer Caps. Beyond music production, he is a skilled graphic designer and has composed scores for television series such as CSI: Miami as well as advertisements for Nissan.
On July 15, 2022, Digital Poodle reunited for a single performance at Bombshelter Records' 35th anniversary event in Toronto, featuring original members Sillaste, Helstrom, Gregor, and Rout. A complete reunion concert is planned for the Terminus Festival in Calgary on July 26, 2024.
Discography
| Album | Format | Label | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay Attention | CS | Shadow | 1987 | |
| Poodle Crematorium | CS | Shadow | 1988 | Limited to 250 copies |
| Snivel | CS | Shadow | 1989 | |
| Live Death | CS | Shadow | 1990 | Recorded live at Toronto’s Slither Club on March 4, 1989 |
| Soul Crush | CS | Shadow | 1991 | |
| CD | Death of Vinyl Entertainment (DOVe) | 1991 | ||
| Soul Crush 12" | 12" | Shadow | 1991 | |
| Work Terminal | CD | DOVe, Hyperium Records | 1992 | Released in Germany |
| Crack | 12" | DOVe | 1993 | |
| Elektronik Espionage | CD EP | DOVe | 1993 | |
| Division! | CD | Cleopatra | 1994 | |
| 12" 2x12" | DOVe | 1994 | ||
| Work Terminal | CD | Metropolis Records | 1994 | Reissued edition |
| Noisea | CD | Cleopatra | 1995 | |
| Combat! | CD EP | Cleopatra | 1997 |
Compilation appearances
- Instrumental CS - side B track #5 "Uncivilized World" (Plan Eleven)
- Death of Vinyl CD - track #15 "Broadkast III" (DOVe, 1991)
- "Gárgula Mecânica" World Electrostatic Assembly CD - track #12 "Binary" (Simbiose, 1992)
- … To Hypersonic - The Hyperium Compilation Part II CD - track #8 "Free Men" (Hyperium, 1992)
- Hy! From Hypnotic To Hypersonic double CD - disc two track #8 "Free Men (Extended)" (Hyperium, 1992)
- Metro Tekno CD - tracks #1 "Work Terminal (U.S. Mix)" and #2 "Free Men (Extended)" (Silent, 1992)
- Love Ta Love Ya Baby: An NMS '93 Dance Compilation LP - Side B track #3 "Work Terminal" (New Music Seminar, 1993)
- Death of Vinyl Revolutions Vol. 1 CD - tracks #7 "Crack" and #8 "Output Expander" (DOVe, 1993)
- Grid Slinger LP - side A track #4 "Crack" (Re-constriction Records, Cleopatra 1993)
- Industrial Revolution - Second Edition double CD - disc one track #11 "Division" (Cleopatra, 1994)
- Trance In Your Mind - The Unstoppable Trance Machine CD - track #4 "Crack (Free Base Mix)" (Cleopatra, 1994)
- Ambient Rituals Exercise One: Music For Soul Braiding CD - track #5 "Weapon" (Hyperium, 1995)
- Doom & Gloom/Visions of the Apocalypse CD - track #6 "Head of Lenin" (Kado, 1995)
- Enchantments CD - track #1 "Head of Lenin (Remix)" (Cleopatra, 1995)
- Industrial Revolution Second Edition VHS - video for "Work Terminal" (Cleopatra, 1996)
- Nekrology CD - track #5 "Funkass" (Konsortium Produktions, 1996)
- Industrial Madness four-CD set - disc three track #5 "Red Star" (Cleopatra, 1997)
- Industrial Mix Machine double CD - disc one track #11 "Left/Right (Incarnate Mix)" (Cleopatra, 1997)
- Gothic Industrial Madness DVD - video for "Work Terminal" (Cleopatra, 2000)
- Goth - The Ultimate Collection two-DVD set - disc one video for "Work Terminal" (Cleopatra 2002)
- TDK 016 12" record - side B track #2 "Crack" (TdK, 2005)