Agro

Agro is British producer Ben Carvin, whose involvement in bass music extends from the studio to promoting and running labels. Growing up on the Isle of Wight, he listened to grime and UK hip-hop, drawn especially to MCs with a recognisable voice and personality. After moving to Brighton in 2007, he became involved with Gangoon Dubs and began making dubstep.

That interest in vocal culture stayed with him as his focus developed towards drum and bass. Through Sub-liminal and Sub-division, he created space for fellow producers as well as his own work. His debut album, Bad From Morning, grew out of concentrated studio time during lockdown, with work beginning in December 2020. Rather than rush it out, he used the project to rethink how his music could work beyond individual club singles.

The album brought MCs to the foreground, drawing on existing sessions and new collaborations. Agro described rebuilding a track around Flowdan’s vocal until the arrangement was simple enough to give that voice its full impact. His enthusiasm for the unpredictable exchange between selector and MC runs through the project, connecting his early listening habits with the music he makes and the community he has helped support.