MUMBAI: Celebrating Ovum Recordings 30th year, Josh Wink unveils new single ‘Nerf Herder’ dropping 11th October on Ovum Recordings.
With a title inspired by Princess Leia’s immortal clapback to Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back, and a creation that occurred during parent downtime at a Nerf tournament, ‘Nerf Herder’ is Josh Wink in a playful mood, perfectly timed for his annual Hallowink festivities alongside Will Clarke on the 31st of October. ‘Nerf Herder’ takes its sonic cues in part from 90s progressive house – driving and expansive, it slaps as hard as Leia’s words and follows on from recent singles ‘The Deepness’ and ‘Progression’ where Wink explores the more emotional/ melodic aspects of his creative palette. Big tune from one of the greatest to do it.
Josh Wink says:
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‘’Nerf Herder’ is a reference in the Star Wars movie The Empire Strikes Back where Leia insults Han by calling him a “stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder”. But that wasn’t the reason I named this track ‘Nerf Herder’. I was waiting for my son at a Nerf event in Philadelphia, while he and other participants were in the laser tag-like arena, I was composing music on my laptop in an empty room at the community center where it took place. So instead of the track name being the date of when I made it, or something else, this one came to mind and stuck (with a slight nod to Star Wars, Han and Leia too).
Two years ago was a period of time musically, where I delved into emotional and melodic techno/house compositions (‘Iz’, ‘The Deepness’ and ‘Progression’) that are slightly influenced by the 90’s progressive sound, yet still have the signature Josh Wink quality to the production. I am excited to slow things down, expressing the deeper, and more emotive side of me, rather than the techno sound most people know me for.”.
An artist and DJ who barely needs introduction, Josh Wink has been gloriously disrupting electronic dance music with a DIY and post-punk energy since the 90s. Amongst a huge arsenal of profound releases – his seminal breakout hit ‘Higher State of Consciousness’, highlighted as one of Rolling Stone’s ‘Greatest Dance Songs Of All Time’ in 2022. In 1995 the single was unleashed on the world and was immediately embraced by everyone from Gilles Peterson to Carl Cox. The definitive track continues to be rediscovered and adored by every new wave of DJ, raver and electronic enthusiast since its original release 29 years ago. His Ovum imprint is a continuation of this boundary-pushing attitude, with more than 400 releases, over 130 associated artists and countless chart-topping tracks in its 30 years. Born in Josh’s native Philly in 1994, Ovum is as DIY and independently-minded now as it ever was, with label and founder having plenty up their sleeve to surprise and delight in 2024 and well and beyond.
