Heiki – Valley Beyond

“Valley Beyond” is the Suction Records label debut by Heiki, aka Toronto-based, Canadian electronic music veteran, Heiki Sillaste. Heiki first made his mark with Digital Poodle, a cult EBM project that he began in 1988, going on to release several albums, along with a string of addictive, industrial dancefloor anthems, including “Work Terminal” and “Soul Crush,” which each received the reissue/remix treatment via a pair of 12”s on Suction in 2015, and 2017, respectively.

Like many EBM producers in the ‘90s, Heiki found himself losing interest in that increasingly stagnant scene, and quickly shifted his musical focus towards the emerging techno/rave/ambient scene. Over the years, he’s delved into everything from dub techno, to drum and bass, to ambient drone, but for the past few years he’s been diving deep into hardware analog electro and acid. “Valley Beyond” is the result of nearly a decade perfecting his acid/electro sound, finding Heiki at the top of his game.

Highlighted by 2 rocking vocoder electro anthems, “Valley Beyond” and “Komplexoboxxx,” the 6-track vinyl EP moves seamlessly from sinister electro to funky acid, with melodic analog strings, 808 boom, and 303 squelch as constants, weaving in and out. Rounding out Side A of the EP is “Andermatt” — this plaintive and melancholic slow-jam may seem like the odd man out here, but it’s actually an insight into what to expect on the CD/digital full-length.

For the CD and digital download release, the 6-track vinyl EP is expanded to an 11-track “Valley Beyond” full-length. For those who buy the vinyl, it ships with a digital download card inside, giving you access to all 11 tracks. CD/digital exclusive tracks include a slower acid jam, several melodic ambient tracks and interludes, and a bonus remix of acid standout “Highway 10” from the vinyl.