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
TEX-MEX (LIVE AT DOLCE VITA, LAUSANNE 6/12/85)
Spotify | Apple Music | video
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 77 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.
‘Tex-Mex (Live at Dolce Vita, Lausanne 1985)’ is out now as the second single to be issued ahead of the box set. Recorded in December 1985 at the legendary Swiss venue that had opened earlier that year, the performance was also filmed and a video for the song is available to view HERE.
“‘Tex-Mex’ was recorded as part of the ‘..Step Forward’ recording sessions at Guerilla Studios in Little Venice, London,” the band recall. “It was where William Orbit had his recording base at the time and we utilised a lot of the equipment he had set up there for his own early electronic work.”
‘..Step Forward’ was originally released in 1984 by Illuminated Records. The album also included the original version of ‘Refugee’, a remix of which by Rhys Fulber was released as a single in June. A video for that can be seen HERE.
All 77 tracks in the box set 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. It 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
