Josh Wink: “We still focus on the quality of the music”

Philadelphia born and based Josh Wink is one of the true pioneers of techno, house and allied styles – blurring the definitions. Taking trends, making trends and breaking trends, his music has always experimented and influenced.

Photo Credit: Josh Wink – Official

The sound of Josh Wink today remains one of a man unafraid to walk the border between stylistic boundaries. His remix discography of over 25 years includes seminal artists such as Radiohead, Moby, Sting, Depeche Mode, Radioslave and Dave Clarke, to name a few.

In this interview,  EG  caught up with Josh Wink to talk about his upcoming appearance at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, 30 years of his label Ovum Recordings, and future releases.

EG: Hi, Josh! Welcome back to EG. As always, it’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now? How did you kickstart the year?

Josh Wink: Thanks for the invite. I’m back home in Philly, recuperating from an amazing weekend in Madrid at Mayka, celebrating 25 years of Cocoon with an incredible group of friends and artists, like Avalon Emerson, Joris Voorn, Adam Beyer, and more. I’m doing well—gearing up for my return to Ultra Festival and working on new music that I can’t wait for people to hear.

I kicked off the year in Philadelphia for the first time in over 25 years, had the pleasure of playing at Public Records in Brooklyn for the first time, and joined an incredible party at Tresor in Berlin with my dear old friends DJ T-1000 and Miss DJax.

EG: Sounds great. Congratulations on being a part of Ultra’s 25th anniversary! You must be very excited to return to the festival once again. What are some of your initial thoughts?

Josh Wink: Thank you. I’m really looking forward to returning to Ultra. Since the very first festival, it has always held a special place in my heart. Miami and Ultra Music Festival have felt like a second home to me, and each year, the event keeps getting better. I’m excited to see what they have in store for everyone this year.

EG: Now, you were a part of the first edition of Ultra back in 1999, right? What was that time like? Do you still have some memories from that particular event?

Josh Wink: Yes, I played the first one and, I believe, ten in a row (or more) after that. It was an innocent time for music and electronic festivals in the United States—no phones either! I remember it being really windy, and the needles kept flying off and scratching the vinyl, which most of us were still using at the time. It was a real pain, so the crew scrambled to create a wind guard out of cardboard or vinyl sleeves. It’s a fun memory.

EG: Did you ever imagine that Ultra would become what it is today? Were the signs already there?

Josh Wink: No, I didn’t, but I’m very happy for them. They were forward-thinking and smart in pairing Miami’s only music festival at the time with the Winter Music Conference. As a result, Ultra grew and blossomed alongside WMC, benefiting from so many artists, industry heads, DJs, and fans in town. It was a great idea, and I wish I had predicted how it would evolve from its inception on the beach to becoming a global brand and one of the biggest dance music events in the world.

“I have my record label Ovum Recordings, which celebrated 30 years last year, which I am very proud of. We still focus on the quality of the music and finding tracks that hit us in our soul”

EG: How do you feel about the way the scene evolved since your first performance back in 1999?

Josh Wink: We all talk about how much things have changed since then or even since the pandemic. It was truly about the music, the dancing, and the lifestyle. No social media. It was more grassroots, just flyers, word of mouth, and ads in magazines or the internet. That’s how people found out. It was an exciting time before clubbing, raving, and festivals became so corporate. Things are constantly evolving, and I feel blessed to still be a part of it after all these years.

EG: Now, what can your fans expect from your performance? Do you prepare differently for these sorts of events?

Josh Wink: I believe if they know me and are fans, they’ll know I’ll mix it up musically as I do. I’ve been playing a lot of my own music lately as people always come up to me and request tracks from my catalog that are special to them. It makes me smile when I get to play my own music and people are going crazy.  Hopefully we get some more goosebump moments at Ultra again like this one: https://bit.ly/43sfFzr

EG: Are there any other acts on the roster that you’re looking forward to? Do you usually try to make time to catch other acts that interest you before and after your slot?

Josh Wink: I’m not sure who is playing where yet, but it is always a great opportunity to connect with new and old friends. Of course I always look forward to hearing my old friend Carl Cox play. Playing in his tent over the years and being with his crew has always been special, so it will be great to hear what he has in store with his live show.

EG: On to the state of the scene…What do you see as the biggest challenge for the music industry in the next few years, and how do you think artists can adapt?

Josh Wink: Gosh, so many things are a challenge. Some I’ve mentioned above, and some I haven’t. It’s strange because people say it’s all about the music, but I feel like that’s far from the reality now, and that’s the challenging part. Without social media and large streaming numbers, artists struggle. There is a lot of immense talent out there who don’t do socials or have large streaming numbers, and without this metadata generated from it, it’s hard for them to get booked or noticed and that’s not about music. It’s been said that, ‘talent doesn’t sell spots at a festival (venue), social media data does.’

I have my record label Ovum Recordings, which celebrated 30 years last year, which I am very proud of. We still focus on the quality of the music and finding tracks that hit us in our soul. I look back at my early days in the business, starting with promoting parties in Philly. Build a local scene and grow from there. I know it can be frustrating, but things are always evolving, and I look forward to seeing what’s next. I keep discovering new artists that excite me, and that gives me hope for the future.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to Ultra. Since the very first festival, it has always held a special place in my heart”

EG: Finally, what’s next for Josh Wink? What new milestones are you looking forward to in 2025? Where can your fans catch you next?

Josh Wink: This year marks 30 years of three of my tracks – ‘Higher States of Consciousness,’ ‘I Am Ready,’ and ‘Don’t Laugh’ – all released in 1995. It’s incredible how these tracks (and others from my catalog) still make people smile and go crazy. There are remixes in the works for these tracks, so be on the lookout!

I have a remix coming out on March 7th of Will Clarke’s ‘Holding On,’ that you might be hearing around the festival as well as a new remix coming on Ovum of a newly-signed artist named Qess featuring Andrew Edward Brown called ‘I Keep Coming Back’ that we will be promoting before Miami. I have some other new music that I have recently finished as well as some other goodies that you will be hearing about soon. You can catch me in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 21st and 23rd, and then at the legendary Ultra Music Festival!

EG: Thank you so much for your time, Josh! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!

Josh Wink: With pleasure.

Josh Wink will be playing at 2025’s Ultra Music Festival. Find more info here. 

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