Portion Control – Head Buried (Album – Progress Productions)
Genre/Influences: EBM, experimental.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.
Background/Info: Portion Control is part of EBM history. Set up in 1980, the British formation became one of the electro-underground pioneers, a distant time when people didn’t even speak about EBM! “Head Buried” is the band’s first new album since “Pure Form”. The work was originally released by the band as a digital release, but Progress Productions convinced them to release a CD format. The Greek label Kinetik Records released the cassette edit.
Content: Portion Control remains a band without compromises. “Head Buried” is characterized by the easily recognizable EBM approach, the band has held onto since the 80s. It’s a powerful and well-crafted music featuring some modern treatments plus the unique timbre of the voice of Dean Piavanni on top. Together with the other core member John Whybrew, this album will get you into dance modus, but there also is a more experimental side. Some tracks indeed are more like instrumental intermezzos, featuring cinematic spheres and sound manipulations. Notice by the way the physical formats of the album feature one extra song (cf. “Telekinesis”).
+ + + : Portion Control always has been a band with an own style and a proper sound. This unique sound DNA is the red line throughout their discography and even if “Head Buried – 54 Pure Electronics” (the complete title) is their first new opus in nearly ten years; you immediately recognize the stamp of John Whybrew and dean Piavanni. It’s all in arrangements, but also in some of the bass lines and of course the vocals. I was impressed by “Rise Up”, which is a sexy, modern EBM composition accomplished with great sound effects. “Regime” is a ‘classical’ Portion Control song, but still a great one. There’s also something to say about “Regulation One”. “Ninth Child” is more progressive featuring cold grooves. The aforementioned extra cut “Telekinesis” is a noticeable final track for a new album, which will not disappoint the fans.
– – – : The more experimental cuts aren’t my favorites and will definitely not enter into history. It’s just that there are maybe too many songs in this vein on the album.
Conclusion: Portion Control has been always ahead of their time and this new work simply confirms this approach. Portion Control has inspired numerous great artists and still can inspire the further generations.
Best songs: “Rise Up”, “Telekinesis”, “Regime”, “Ninth Child”, “Drop02”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: http://portion-control.net
Label: www.progress-productions.com / www.facebook.com/progresspro
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
