# Digital Poodle

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{{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](/source/Toronto), [Ontario](/source/Ontario), Canada
| genre           = [Electro](/source/electronic_music)-[industrial](/source/industrial_music)/[EBM](/source/electronic_body_music)
| years_active    = {{start date|1986}}–{{end date|1995}}
| label           = {{ hlist | Death of Vinyl | [Hyperium](/source/Hyperium_Records) | [Metropolis](/source/Metropolis_Records) }}
| website         = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| current_members =
| past_members    = {{unbulleted list| Heiki Sillaste | Pupka Frey | Reduct}}
}}
'''Digital Poodle''' was an [electro](/source/electronic_music)-[industrial](/source/industrial_music)/[EBM](/source/electronic_body_music) band, based in [Toronto, Ontario](/source/Toronto), 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](/source/Vancouver)-based industrial acts like [Skinny Puppy](/source/Skinny_Puppy), and [Front Line Assembly](/source/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](/source/house_music)/[techno](/source/techno_music) mixed with European [Electronic body music](/source/Electronic_body_music) (EBM) and occasionally skirting experimental and ambient soundscapes. Sillaste's lyrical themes and choice of [audio sampling](/source/Sampling_(music)) typically covered the ending of the [Cold War](/source/Cold_War), as well as the following political independence struggles in the [Baltic](/source/Baltics) 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](/source/cassette_tape) demos and full release albums on Sillaste's own Shadow [recording label](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Pupka_Frey) (of the band [D.I.N.](/source/D.I.N.)) and [Reduct](/source/Reduct_(musician)). Keyboard players [Jean-Claude Cutz](/source/Rational_Youth) and [Dave Rout](/source/Rational_Youth) were also associated with the band.<ref>[Discogs](/source/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](/source/Rational_Youth).  Live shows of Digital Poodle featured the drummer/percussionists [Kristian Helstrom](/source/Kristian_Helstrom), [Andreas Gregor](/source/Andreas_Gregor_(musician)), and [Dave Rout](/source/Dave_Rout).

In 1995, Sillaste co-founded the [Nice+Smooth Ultramedia](/source/Nice%2BSmooth_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](/source/Dub_music), [down beat](/source/Downtempo), and house/techno music such as [Kinder Atom](/source/Kinder_Atom) and [Lazer Caps](/source/Lazer_Caps), and is an accomplished [graphic designer](/source/graphic_designer). He has also worked on music and sound for television shows such as ''[CSI: Miami](/source/CSI%3A_Miami)'' and commercials for [Nissan](/source/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]

{{Authority control}}

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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Digital Poodle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Poodle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Poodle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.