{{Short description|Canadian electro-industrial/EBM band}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Digital Poodle | image = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = Toronto, Ontario, Canada | genre = Electro-industrial/EBM | years_active = {{start date|1986}}–{{end date|1995}} | label = {{ hlist | Death of Vinyl | Hyperium | Metropolis }} | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | current_members = | past_members = {{unbulleted list| Heiki Sillaste | Pupka Frey | Reduct}} }} '''Digital Poodle''' was an electro-industrial/EBM band, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was formed in 1986 and remained active until about 1995.
==Background==
Formed in 1986 by vocalist/programmer Heiki Sillaste (aka Mouth 392), the project was considered Toronto's answer to the established Vancouver-based industrial acts like Skinny Puppy, and Front Line Assembly.<ref>[http://metropolis-records.com/artists/?artist=digitalp Digital Poodle's entry at Metropolis Records]</ref> Digital Poodle's sound can be best described as house/techno mixed with European Electronic body music (EBM) and occasionally skirting experimental and ambient soundscapes. Sillaste's lyrical themes and choice of audio sampling typically covered the ending of the Cold War, as well as the following political independence struggles in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe.<ref>"Industrial Revolution", by Dave Thomas {{ISBN|0-9636193-0-6}} (Cleopatra) (1994)</ref>
Digital Poodle originally released a series of cassette tape demos and full release albums on Sillaste's own Shadow recording label. The first CD release was ''Soul Crush'' in 1991, which was distributed in North America under the Death of Vinyl label.<ref name="mfteq_4">{{cite journal |last1=Toohill |first1=Paul |title=Digital Poodle - Soul Crush |journal=Music From The Empty Quarter |date=February 1992 |issue=4 |pages=40-41 |publisher=The Empty Quarter |publication-place=UK |issn=0964-542X |url=https://archive.org/details/musicfromtheemptyquarter04}}</ref> This was followed in 1992 by ''Work Terminal'' which was also distributed by DoV and in Europe on Germany's Hyperium Records label. The band's final release was the ''Combat!'' EP in 1997, which contained mainly remixed material from previous releases.
Other Digital Poodle studio members have included keyboardists Pupka Frey (of the band D.I.N.) and Reduct. Keyboard players Jean-Claude Cutz and Dave Rout were also associated with the band.<ref>Discogs, [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Digital+Poodle Profile of Digital Poodle]. Retrieved 2013-01-08.</ref> Post Digital Poodle, both joined a later configuration of Rational Youth. Live shows of Digital Poodle featured the drummer/percussionists Kristian Helstrom, Andreas Gregor, and Dave Rout.
In 1995, Sillaste co-founded the Nice+Smooth Ultramedia label and has gone on to create 45 synthesizer-based albums and 120 compilation appearances. He has worked on other music projects in the genre of electronic dub, down beat, and house/techno music such as Kinder Atom and Lazer Caps, and is an accomplished graphic designer. He has also worked on music and sound for television shows such as ''CSI: Miami'' and commercials for Nissan.<ref>Heiki Sillaste's user profile on Nice+Smooth.com</ref>
On July 15, 2022, Digital Poodle reunited for a one-off performance as part of the Bombshelter Records' 35th anniversary event at The Garrison in Toronto. Original members Heiki Sillaste, Kristian Helstrom, Andreas Gregor, and Dave Rout took part in a 5 song set.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4AQv0lsX8Q |title=Digital Poodle - Work Terminal [Live at The Garrison July 15th 2022] |date=2022-07-20 |last=fd |access-date=2025-10-16 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
Digital Poodle performed a full reunion set at Terminus Festival in Calgary, Alberta, on July 26, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 |url=https://terminus-festival.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810145128/https://terminus-festival.com/ |archive-date=2025-08-10 |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=TERMINUS FESTIVAL |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Discography== {| class="wikitable" ! Album ! Format ! Label ! Year ! Notes |- |''Pay Attention'' |CS |Shadow |1987 | |- |''Poodle Crematorium'' |CS |Shadow |1988 |Limited edition 250 copies |- |''Snivel'' |CS |Shadow |1989 | |- |''Live Death'' |CS |Shadow |1990 |Recorded live at the Slither Club, Toronto, March 4, 1989 |- |rowspan="2"|''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 |Germany |- |''Crack'' |12" |DOVe |1993 | |- |''Elektronik Espionage'' |CD EP |DOVe |1993 | |- |rowspan="2"|''Division!'' |CD |Cleopatra |1994 | |- |12" 2x12" |DOVe |1994 | |- |''Work Terminal'' |CD |Metropolis Records |1994 |reissue |- |''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'' 2xCD - disc 2, track #8 "Free Men (Extended)" (Hyperium, 1992) * ''Metro Tekno'' CD - track #1 "Work Terminal (U.S. Mix)" and track #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 - track #7 "Crack" and track #8 "Output Expander" (DOVe, 1993) * ''Grid Slinger'' LP - side A, track #4 "Crack" (Re-constriction Records, Cleopatra 1993) * ''Industrial Revolution - Second Edition'' 2xCD - disc 1, 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 - "Work Terminal" video (Cleopatra, 1996) * ''Nekrology'' CD - track #5 "Funkass" (Konsortium Produktions, 1996) * ''Industrial Madness'' 4xCD - disc 3, track #5 "Red Star" (Cleopatra, 1997) * ''Industrial Mix Machine'' 2xCD - disc 1, track #11 "Left/Right (Incarnate Mix)" (Cleopatra, 1997) * ''Gothic Industrial Madness'' DVD - video "Work Terminal" (Cleopatra, 2000) * ''Goth - The Ultimate Collection'' 2xDVD - disc 1, video "Work Terminal" (Cleopatra 2002) * ''TDK 016'' 12" - side B, track #2, "Crack" (TdK, 2005)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Digital+Poodle Digital Poodle Discography at Discogs.com] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713032351/http://radio3.cbc.ca/ Heiki Sillaste's profile at Radio3] * [http://www.nicesmooth.com/ Nice+Smooth Ultramedia - recording label and visual media company co-founded by Heiki Sillaste]
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Category:Canadian industrial music groups Category:Musical groups established in 1986 Category:Musical groups from Toronto Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1995 Category:1986 establishments in Ontario Category:1995 disestablishments in Ontario