Horsepower Productions

Horsepower Productions

Horsepower Productions is a dubstep and UK garage group from London, United Kingdom, active from 2000 to the present. The group is made up of Ben Garner, Jay King, Matt Levesconte and Nasis, and is closely associated with the earliest development of dubstep in London alongside El-B.

Early releases and albums

The group’s debut release is In Fine Style, issued in November 2002 as a compilation rather than a conventional studio album. It includes six new tracks, a bonus reissue of “Gorgon Sound”, and other Horsepower 12-inch releases that are later out of print. Their first studio album, To the Rescue, follows in 2004, and Quest For The Sonic Bounty appears in 2010 after a six-year break.

Membership and line-up changes

Until the end of 2002, Horsepower Productions consists of Benny Ill, Nassis and Lev Jnr. The group later operates as a two-person outfit without Nasis, who focuses on drum and bass and other production work. Benny Ill also has several years of music production experience under different aliases, including Bill & Ben.

Style and influence

Their sound draws on a wide range of influences, including UK garage, techno, house, dub, broken beat, hip-hop, reggae, drum and bass, funk and global film samples. Their role in dubstep is recognised by the inclusion of two of their tracks on the compilation The Roots of Dubstep.

DJ activity

Benny Ill is also a regular DJ at Drive By and Wicked in New York City, and at Forward in the UK.