British electronic innovators Portion Control, formed in London in 1979 and long regarded as one of the most influential forces in the evolution of electro‑industrial and EBM, are preparing the first major instalment of their newly curated archival series with Artoffact Records. After decades of fiercely maintained independence, the group signed to the Canadian label in late 2025, opening the door to a comprehensive remastering and reissue campaign that finally gives their groundbreaking catalogue the treatment it deserves.
The inaugural release, 1983–86 – Hit The Pulse To Purge…, arrives on 14 August as a 4×CD box set and digital edition. Spanning 74 tracks, the collection assembles the band’s pivotal early‑to‑mid‑’80s output: the 1983 mini‑LP Hit The Pulse, the full‑length albums …Step Forward (1984) and Psycho Bod Saves The World (1986), and the classic 12" singles “The Great Divide”, “Go‑Talk”, and “Raise The Pulse”, alongside the Purge EP (1986). The set is further expanded with B‑sides, compilation appearances, rarities, remixes, demos, and two previously unavailable live recordings from 1984 and 1985.
As a first preview, Artoffact has unveiled a rebuild of the iconic “Refugee” video, originally featured on …Step Forward. With the track’s themes feeling more urgent than ever, Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly stepped in to create a new remix, bringing a contemporary edge to one of Portion Control’s most enduring works.
In total, the box set contains 77 fully remastered tracks, handled by Paul Lavigne at Kontrast Mastering. Of these, 16 recordings have never been released before, while 12 make their debut on CD and digital formats. The physical edition comes housed in a five‑panel ecopak with a 24‑page booklet featuring archival photographs and a fresh visual design by Stefan Alt (ant‑zen) — a fitting tribute to a band whose aesthetic has shaped generations of electronic artists.
Portion Control’s early experimentation with synthesisers, drum machines and sampling technology laid the groundwork for countless acts who followed. Their influence has been acknowledged by Depeche Mode (with whom they toured in 1984), Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Nine Inch Nails, Orbital, and many more. With Artoffact’s reissue series now underway, a crucial chapter of electronic music history is finally being restored to full visibility. Link
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