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“Some people get pigeonholed as being into just one thing’, Wink remarks, ‘I hate that. When there are rules, it doesn’t become art, and it’s not fun. I’ve learned that you can’t please everybody, so I’d rather be concerned with making good art, and the people that like this art will stick with you.”
Philadelphia born and based Josh Wink is one of the true pioneers of techno, house and allied styles – blurring the definitions.
At 13, a young Josh Wink began his first job as an apprentice at Captain Jack’s mobile DJ Company, three years later, he had started to DJ at local house parties. By 1988 – the year that ‘rave’ exploded into public conscious – Wink was already a main player on the underground music scene.
“Then I began to realize that I had ideas of songs. Instead of DJing other people’s music, I wanted to translate these ideas into my own music that was in my head. House music and new wave electronic music really influenced me when I was a teenager. Plus, going to see Jazzy Jeff and Cash Money DJ in Philly made me want to get more into the ‘art’ of DJing.”
In 1990, just out of his teens, Wink released his first EP ‘Tribal Confusion’ on the infamous Strictly Rhythm imprint, under the moniker E-Culture (with King Britt), also releasing other EPs under various different guises. In 1994 he formed his own imprint ‘Ovum Recordings’ and released ‘Liquid Summer’ – a track which helped propel him onto the international circuit.
“I’d say that Wink ‘Liquid Summer’ (Ovum), Wink ‘Meditation Will Manifest’ (R & S Records), Winx ‘How’s The Music’ (Sorted) and ‘Nervous Build Up’ (Nervous) were some tracks that got me to start traveling around the world in the early 90’s.”
In 1995, Josh Wink became one of the first DJ/producers to translate his music from the underground to above and to international success. He consecutively unleashed a string of classics including ‘Don’t Laugh’ (recorded as Winx on Nervous Records) and ‘Higher State of Consciousness’ – tracks that topped charts worldwide and that are still recognized and played today. He also remixed Moby and Firefly in the same year.
In 1996, whilst gaining recognition from leading press including Rolling Stone magazine, Josh Wink released his debut album ‘Left Above The Clouds’ (under the name Winx) on Nervous Records.
In 1998, he released his second LP ‘HearHere’ on his own Ovum imprint. With ‘HereHear’ Wink pushed boundaries even further, inviting fellow artists as diverse as Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Caroline Crawley (Shelleyann Orphan / This Mortal Coil), and Philly poet Ursula Rucker (Jazzanova / The Roots) to contribute to a far-reaching disc that ran the gamut of electronic music styles – from ambient and trip-hop to drum & bass, as well as the trademark mix of house and techno on which Wink has built his international reputation. “I wanted to continue to push my envelope of making diverse electronic music and not have pressure to only make dance music.”
In 1999, as well as remixing Steve Bug’s ‘Loverboy’ on Poker Flat, Josh Wink began his highly respected ‘Profound Sounds’ Ovum compilation series with ‘Profound Sounds Vol.1’.
In 2000, he sampled Chicago legend Lil Louis’s ‘French Kiss’ to create ‘How’s Your Evening So Far’, released on FFRR records, he also remixed The Utah Saints and Mood II Swing.
In 2001 Josh Wink released ‘Evil Acid’ on Ovum and also teamed up with Carl Cox to release Wink Vs Carl Cox ‘It’s The Machines’ on Cox’s Intec imprint, as well as delivering highly coveted remix workings of Depeche Mode, Dave Clarke and Slam.
Into 2002 and Josh Wink delivered ‘Superfreak’ –a release that again caught the ears of many and inspired many in the process. He also remixed Paul Oakenfold’s ‘Starry Eyed Surprise’, FC Kahuna, Sebastien Leger and Range Of Motion for his own Ovum imprint.
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