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Portion Control
Filthy White Guy

Posted: Friday, March 02, 2007
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

While Portion Control may not have achieved the same level of stature that Skinny Puppy or Front 242 have, their influence on the world of modern electronic music cannot be understated. Considered by many to be pioneers of the EBM genre, their music has transcended the conventions of virtually all forms of electronic, becoming equal parts EBM, industrial, techno, ambient, and all points in between. Their 2004 release, Wellcome was a massive collection of scathing electronic produced primarily on software tools, yet packing as much of a punch as the hardware analog synths of old. To continue along this path is Portion Control's new outing, Filthy White Guy. From the onset of the opening tracks, "High Visibility," "Hardman," and "Random Shift," the listener is treated to a vicious array of searing synth lines and beats as danceable as they are oppressive, easily standing up to the plethora of today's EBM upstarts, yet also retaining a subtle sense of melody that recalls early Depeche Mode, circa Construction Time Again. The next two tracks, "Seven Shades of Shit" and "Slur" are wrought with heavily distorted effects, echoing bass lines to create ambience, and almost breakbeat-like percussion. The same could be said for "Too Much Damage," which begins with some slight glitch effects and just resonates with a dark but enticing pulse beat. "Hey Hey" kicks in with a heavy dose of stomping industrial beats and squealing noises, while the slow tempo and mysterious passages of "Susano," aided by the words of Kenji Siratori, make it the perfect soundtrack for committing a cyber crime. "DBA04" and "Sub_Sequence" are a pair of beautifully haunting pieces of electronica, reminiscent of Haujobb's experimentations on Solutions for a Small Planet, and "Swerve" literally swerves in with an infectious and urgent beat that beckons one to indulge in the ecstasy of pure speed. "Sapphire" seemingly brings the listener full circle, recalling the potent EBM beats and loops of the earlier tracks, leaving "Spread Needle" and "Joe Smoke" to close things out with a barrage of scorching synth effects and percussion, encompassing all that is Portion Control in the space of a few minutes. Upon listening to Filthy White Guy, one can't help but wonder how Portion Control ever got overlooked in favor of Front Line Assembly or even the mighty Skinny Puppy. To some, it may seem like more electro/industrial fodder for your speakers, but given enough listens, the nuances of each track make themselves apparent, and before long, one begins to realize the sheer brilliance of this music.