PORTION CONTROL | 1983-86 – Hit The Pulse to Purge…
PORTION CONTROL
1983-86 – HIT THE PULSE TO PURGE…
4xCD box set | digital | LP
out 14th August 2026
(Artoffact Records)
Bandcamp | Official Store (UK) | International
includes
REFUGEE (RHYS FULBER REBUILD)
PORTION CONTROL | Refugee (Rhys Fulber Rebuild)
Portion Control are a highly influential British electronic group who formed in London in 1979. Their early, innovative use of synths, drum machines and samplers inspired a subsequent generation of acts that included Depeche Mode (who they toured with in 1984), Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Nine Inch Nails and Orbital.
Following decades of staunch independence, Portion Control signed to Artoffact Records in late 2025. Alongside new material, the label is curating and reissuing the group’s back catalogue as a series of box sets, allowing their work to be fully appreciated at last.
PORTION CONTROL | 1983-86 – Hit The Pulse to Purge… CD package
The first of these sets is scheduled for release on 14th August 2026. Entitled ‘1983-86 – Hit The Pulse to Purge…’, the 4xCD package and digital variant consists of 74 tracks that include the 1983 mini-LP ‘Hit The Pulse’, the full length albums ‘..Step Forward’ (1984) and ‘Psycho Bod Saves The World’ (1986), the classic original 12” singles ‘The Great Divide’, ‘Go-Talk’ and ‘Raise The Pulse’, plus the ‘Purge’ EP (1986). Additional material includes B sides, compilation tracks, rarities, remixes, demos and two concert recordings from 1984 and 1985.
The first example from the set is a rebuild of the classic ‘Refugee’ VIDEO from the 1984 album ‘..Step Forward’. With its subject matter more relevant than ever, Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly grasped the opportunity to create this remix.
All 77 tracks have been fully remastered by Paul Lavigne at Kontrast Mastering. 16 have never previously been released, with a further 12 appearing on CD and digitally for the first time. The 4xCD box set is packaged in a 5 panel ecopak with a 24 page booklet containing archive photos and a new design by Stefan Alt (ant-zen).
A limited edition red vinyl LP consisting of 10 key tracks will also be available.
PORTION CONTROL – 1983-86 – HIT THE PULSE TO PURGE… tracklist
PORTION CONTROL | 1983 photo
PORTION CONTROL | brief biography
Emerging from the immediate post-punk musical landscape, Portion Control swiftly developed a raw, minimal sound utilising sequenced synthesisers, samplers and strident vocals built on driving, rhythmic structures. Their fiercely independent approach and experimental use of early technology positioned them as pioneers of the electro-industrial genre, as exemplified by their 1982 debut album, ‘I Staggered Mentally’, mini-LP ‘Hit The Pulse’ (1983) and second album ‘..Step Forward’ (1984), all formative works in the evolution of hard-edged dark electronic dance music.
Following a hiatus that began in the late ’80s, Portion Control staged their return in 2004. Symbolically plotted on the steps of the British Museum, they introduced a darker, tighter style that nevertheless retained their uncompromising edge. Releases such as ‘Wellcome’ (2004), ‘Filthy White Guy’ (2006), ‘Pure Form’ (2012) and the trio of ‘SEED’ EPs issued in 2020-25 documented this renewed phase, combining the band’s original aesthetic with contemporary production techniques.
Throughout their career, Portion Control have remained resistant to commercial pressures while continually exploring new directions in sound. Their body of work stands as a significant contribution to electronic music history, both for its originality and for its lasting influence on subsequent artists within genres such as industrial, EBM, techno and darkwave.
PORTION CONTROL | 2025 photo
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