Joshua Winkelman (born April 20, 1970), better known by his stage name Josh Wink, is an American electronic dance musicDJ, label owner, producer, and remixer. He is a native of Philadelphia, United States.[1] A pioneering DJ in the American rave scene during the early 1990s, Wink was the most prominent exponent of the tribal forms of techno and house in the U.S. In 1995, he released several hits, including "Don't Laugh" (as Winx), "I'm Ready" (as Size 9) (which hit number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart),[2] and "Higher State of Consciousness," which topped the dance charts in Europe. He has had many club hits such as "How's Your Evening So Far?" (samples Lil Louis's "French Kiss") and "Superfreak (Freak)" and has also gained much attention for his remixes of Stabbing Westward, FC Kahuna, Paul Oakenfold, Moby, Towa Tei, Ladytron and Depeche Mode, among others.
Early life
As a youth, Wink studied the piano for three years and took clarinet lessons as a teenager. His interest in DJing began as a 13-year-old, when he became apprentice to a friend, a radio station and mobile DJ in Philadelphia. It was at this time that Wink also became a vegetarian, following in the footsteps of his mother and brother. As a teen, he taught himself how to mix beats. By 1988, Wink had met fellow DJ King Britt, and the two began creating original tracks together.[3] After he turned 18, he started working as a DJ in nightclubs.[3]
Style
Wink's style is a mixture of breakbeat,[4]acid house, drum and bass, and experimental music.[3] In interviews, he has stated that his music is "built around tension",[5] and that his work is often influenced by "mistake theory, which is: I use a lot of things that you and I might consider mistakes....by (experimenting) with effects, with filters, with percentages in my sampler, and just doing stuff that you wouldn't ordinarily do."[5]
In 1996, Rolling Stone writer Frank Broughton observed that "a Josh Wink record takes a series of sampled noises, then twists and warps them through a barrage of sound processors, resulting in a spiraling blend of acidic bass lines and trippy break beats."[6] Kerri Mason of Billboard referred to Wink's Profound Sounds album series as "sensual techno, rendered as a whole composition rather than a collection of individual, flavor-of-the-month tracks."[7]
Wink has acknowledged the music of Kraftwerk, 1980s synthpop and late 1980s Chicago house music as major influences on his style. He is a strong supporter of new DJing technology, most specifically utilising, demonstrating and advocating the Final Scratch application.
Recordings
Josh Wink performing live (10 February 2006)
In 1994, Wink founded his own record label called Ovum Recordings with King Britt.[3] He also has worked with poet Ursula Rucker and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.[8] All of the below albums were released on his Ovum imprint with the exception of the first two. Josh Wink has also recorded some releases as Wink, Winc, Winks, Winx, The Crusher, E-Culture, and Size 9.[3]
Artist albums
A Higher State of Wink's Work (1996, Manifesto) – compilation of Wink's early 12 inch singles
When a Banana Was Just a Banana (Remixed & Peeled) (2010, Ovum)[9][10]
In addition to his artist albums, Wink has released many DJ mix albums, three of his most well-known being Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of the Profound Sounds series. Profound Sounds Volume 3 is notable in that it contains Wink's popular remix of the Radiohead song "Everything in Its Right Place", which despite becoming a favorite of DJs as a bootleggedmp3, Wink was able to license exclusively for his album through negotiations with Radiohead along with their management and publisher.[7]
In December 2010, a remix by Josh Wink of "On Melancholy Hill" by Gorillaz was revealed to those who had completed an internet scavenger hunt.[11]
In celebration of Ovum Recordings 25th birthday, Josh Wink released "Aries In Mars" on December 14, 2018, which serves as the label's 300th track.[12]
