'Hit The Pulse' summons up images of some heavy black dude street-jiving his way through some disco show but it is, in fact, the title of the latest release by South London's Portion Control. It's surprising that they haven't been brought to people's attention before, because they produce some of the most compulsive and hypnotic dance music that I've
heard for some time.

They're no white funk band, neither are they hooked on the limitations of electropop, but are much closer to a unique dance sound all their own. John, Ian and Dean are a young and incisive unit.

They've been together for about three years and through a string of releases on the indie In Phaze they have developed into a hard hitting trio with very obvious commercial overtones. They claim to be unmusical but through their progression their education in technology and instrumentation has given them an edge that many big label prodigies
would be envious of.

"The thing that we use most is technology, there isn't that much musical knowledge needed. We've just learnt how each thing links up to the next."

In Phaze supremo Pat Bermingham has been an important part of their development. Seeing their dedication he took them into his care and nurtured their sound throughout each release.

"None of it is particularly easy or difficult listening," they say. But after a cassette and a twelve inch release, the first Portion Control LP, 'I Staggered Mentally', saw the light of day. A hard edged statement, it was reasonably successful but they've moved a long way on since then.

"We approach the new stuff with a much more professional attitude. We're trying to keep the hard elements of the first LP but do it in a much more accessible way. What's happening now is like a fruition of all the things that have gone before. We've finally realised what Portion Control could be.

"We decided we didn't want to compromise, so the stuff we're recording now is exactly how we want to hear it for the first time. After the first LP we saw the limitations of the equipment we were using. Although the newer stuff we're recording hasn't exactly got Fairlights on it, we've managed to hire and use better equipment and it does show, it's a far more dynamic sound."

The transformation is easy to hear. 'Hit The Pulse' is without doubt their strongest release to date. You only have to hear the opening cut, 'Chew You To Bits', to see the power and positive drive that they have come up with. It beats with sweat and emotion and pulls the listener inwards, into their way of thinking.

Thre's pure professionalism splattered through each song as Portion Control dangerously tread the thin line between commercialism and what could loosely be tagged experimental. They have the charisma of an embryonic Roxy Music and the prowess of a mature Cabaret Voltaire.

"We want to get across to a bigger audience now so we're looking for the right kind of record company interest. We don't really know if the hard images and sounds work on a commercial level but we'd like to try. We're not really sure if we've found the right balance but it's definitely the closest we've ever been.

"We're totally confident in the music and the visuals, it's just a matter of whether people can see it as we do. If they don't then we'll keep going as we are, there's no way we'll be forced to change or do anything to alter the situation. If no labels are interested we'll bring things out ourselves and just keep trying to break new barriers for sales."

The trio are determined to carry on as they are, with or without the help of the mainstream record industry. They've been ignored so long that it probably won't come as much surprise to them if nobody does take an interest.

It's amazing really that no-one has spotted them before. They have done numerous tours of Europe where they are enormously popular, and where good live bands are always encouraged. The TV-like composition of their live set - flickering images and a very short and precise performance - has won them a lot of friends. Even though John and Ian do very little visually, Portion Control are still an awesome sight when they're in full flow.

"With Dean it more than makes up for the fact that two of us don't move around much. He's like the traditional quiet man who becomes like the wild man of Borneo on stage. It's like a reaction to the posey elements of the audience and the people who don't know how to react. There's nothing worse than seeing a load of blank faces when the music is really big beat, almost mutated disco.

"We'd like people to dance around to our music and enjoy it. It's an emotion that we want to work on, we like the energy of that sort of thing and we feel good playing it, especially live. When we go to see a band, if it goes on for more than 45 minutes you just get bored no matter what it is. Our idea is to get people interested and just when they're aroused we're gone. It's a really tight show."

Portion Control are a really tight outfit. The visuals and songs are stuck together to form a cohesive and essential package. They produce compulsive dance music that overflows with a kind of rhythmic relevance. They've been moving feet for years, and now thankfully, a lot more people are beginning to take notice.

Information on Portion Control, 'Hit The Pulse' and a new video by the group from In Phaze Records, 737 Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park. Ilford, Essex.

© SOUNDS 1983

Digital assistance and credit: Simon Dell <simon@stroppy.demon.co.uk>