Title: Crop
Artist: Portion Control
Genre: Electro, Industrial, EBM
Release Date: 26th June 2009
Label: Sigsaly Transmission Media
Album Review
Virtually, the digi pack ´Crop´ from the British Electro / Industrial formation PORTION CONTROL isn’t a new piece of work, but a retrospective including some recent appetizers. Besides a compilation of material from 2004 to 2008, the album contains an EP offering reworked or new stuff. If you feel comfortable with old school EBM and admire cult bands such as NITZER EBB or FRONT 242, you will also find much pleasure in `Crop´. It’s clearly audible that PORTION CONTROL has been in the business since 1980, as the release brims over with typical bass lines you can often hear on NITZER EBB classics. Combined with pulsating Synth sounds and restrained Industrial elements, the recording is pretty minimalistic and differs from many recent long-players of other today’s EBM bands. Therefore, `Crop´ isn’t only for diehard club dancers, but also for those who enjoy an intensive listening at home.
Due to a throttled bass line and the cool vocals, the catchy opener `Hardman´ brings back memories of good old days just as well as the rather down-tempo `Blind Eyes´. Contrary to a classical electronic soundscape right out the textbook, the dirty vocals of Dean Piavani create a special kind of tension that lingers on the entire track. `Blood Rushed to Head´ is a Trip Hop- / Progressive Electro-influenced piece and very complex because of its richness in sound effects. `Chew you to bits (Rebuild)´ strongly reminds me of early DEPECHE MODE albums regarding to its Synth melody. Connected to rhythmic and old-fashioned shouts, this track stands for unadulterated and 1980s nostalgia-causing EBM.
After a calm and minimalistic start, `Pure Menace´ emerges to an atmospherically tight instrumental piece containing several sound gimmicks. Both `Onion Jack´-tracks are very experimental (and non-danceable) compositions that lead the listener into the deepest sound depths and require a certain open-mindedness concerning extreme changes in style. The constantly changing of tempo and structure as well as the created ambitious sound pictures make the listening experience appear like a confusing feverish dream. The aggressive `Amnesia (Beta.01)´ is my personal second disc’s highlight, as it combines the sound of the first EBM days with a modern attitude. In spite of the album’s traditionalism and recourse to well-tried stylistic elements (Or maybe just because of that?), the digi pack was able to captivate me.
Tracklist
CD 01
01. Hardman – 6:29
02. Global – 5:04
03. Pure Menace – 4:31
04. Blood Rushed to Head – 3:44
05. Blind Eyes – 4:17
06. Too Much Damage – 4:37
07. Onion Jack II Segue – 15:45
08. Chew You to Bits (Rebuild) – 3:59
09. Sickman – 4:08
10. Onion Jack IV Segue: Pearly King & Queen – 17:54
Cosh Boy. Onion Freak.Drive.By.Sunbeam
CD 02
11. Brain Scraper Death Dive (Rebuild) – 3:50
12. Defend (NTRSN Version) – 3:04
13. Witness/Transmission Intro_01 – 2:41
14. Amnesia (Beta.01) – 5:51
Line-up
Dean Piavani – voice, electronics, visuals
John Whybrew – electronics, visuals
Website
http://www.portion-control.net/ / http://www.myspace.com/porcon
Cover-Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10
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