Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Hecker is the son of two art teachers. During his high school years, he played in rock bands with friends, before acquiring a sampler and working on solo material.[6] He moved to Montreal, Quebec in 1998 to study at Concordia University and explore his artistic interests further.[6] He initially performed as a techno producer under the name Jetone, debuting in 1996.[7][8] By 2001 he became disenchanted with the musical direction of the Jetone project. In 2001, Hecker released the album Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again,[9] under his own name through the label Alien8.[7] He followed with Radio Amor (2003) and Mirages (2004).
In 2006, he moved to Kranky where he released his fourth album Harmony in Ultraviolet.[7][10] He subsequently incorporated the use of pipe organ sounds which were digitally processed and distorted. The album was called the 9th best ambient album of all time by Pitchfork.[11] For the album Ravedeath, 1972 (2011), Hecker traveled to Iceland where together with Ben Frost, he recorded parts in a church.[12] The album was awarded the Juno Award for Electronic Album of the Year.[13] In November 2010, Alien8 re-released Hecker's debut album on vinyl.[14][15] His live performances contain improvisations by processing organ sounds that are manipulated, with great fluctuations in volume.[16]
In 2012, Hecker collaborated with Daniel Lopatin (who also records as Oneohtrix Point Never) on an improvisatory project which became Instrumental Tourist.[17] Following 2013's Virgins, Hecker returned to Reykjavík, Iceland for sessions in 2014 and 2015, to create what would become Love Streams.[18] Collaborators include Ben Frost, Johann Johannsson, Kara-Lis Coverdale and Grimur Helgason, whilst the 15th century choral works by Josquin des Prez birthed the foundations of the album.[19] In February 2016, it was announced that Hecker had signed with 4AD while Love Streams was released in April of that year.[20][21]
Hecker, along with other musicians Ben Frost, Steve Goodman (Kode9), Piotr Jakubowicz, Marcel Weber (MFO), and Manuel Sepulveda (Optigram), provided music for Unsound Festival's sensory installation, Ephemera.[28]
Hecker composed the score for Damien Jalet's performance piece, Planet [wanderer].[29]
Hecker pursued a professional career outside music and worked as a policy analyst for the Canadian Government in the early 2000s.[40][41] After leaving his employment in 2006 he enrolled at McGill University to study for a PhD,[42] with a thesis on urban noise that was published in 2014.[43] He has also worked there as a lecturer in sound culture in the Art History and Communications department.[44]
^The North Water (Adventure, Drama, Mystery), See-Saw Films, Rhombus Media, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), September 10, 2021, retrieved September 24, 2022
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