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Established in 1994 by Josh Wink out of his hometown of Philadelphia, Ovum’s early notoriety was all of Wink’s making. Having long been recognized as an acid house prodigy thanks to his early tracks, released both individually and in tandem with his sparring partner King Britt – most notably their E-Culture recording ‘Tribal Confusion’ – by the mid-‘90s Wink was on a roll, as the stunning triumvirate of releases ‘Higher States Of Consciousness’, ‘Don’t Laugh’ and ‘I’m Ready’ effortlessly attest.
The arrival of the label then was no fluke - Ovum gave Wink control, the stylish Wink with his trademark flowing blonde dreadlocks gave the label personality - nor was its moniker. “Growing up in Philadelphia I was listening to all sorts of music,” Wink recalls. “Funk, new wave, hip hop, house, jazz and disco. I always wanted Ovum to be about different types of house music. Plus Ovum’s an egg, the basis of life. That’s what I wanted the label to be, life music.”

With King Britt on board following his stint in late period daisy age hip hoppers Digable Planets, Ovum was set. Almost immediately it hit paydirt. In 1995 the success of Wink’s ‘Liquid Summer’ raised the profile of the label immeasurably, enabling it to follow its unique vision. “Having traveled the world,” Josh explains, “I got to see how it was done and those ideals and values I bought back to Philadelphia. The music had to be credible and it had to be revered, but just as importantly the label’s integrity had to be very strong.”

Compromising this vision has never been an option. Matt Brookman, label manager since 1996, understands why: “Having never jumped on any bandwagon is one of the reasons, I believe, why the label’s still here ten years later. We’ve never put out anything we haven’t liked meaning we’ve passed on some big records but we’ve never sold out.”

The label’s core belief of scouring the globe for the freshest talent which has seen it reap the benefits. Aaron Carl, David Alvarado, Rulers Of The Deep, Universal Agents and D’Julz have all felt the Ovum touch and they in turn have allowed the label to grow. And as the multi-faceted nature of the aforementioned artists reveals, no two Ovum releases are the same. Something which is ably reflected in the caliber of DJs who have consistently spun its releases: Laurent Garnier, Doc Martin, Gilles Peterson Darren Emerson, Slam, Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Jazzanova and Layo & Bushwacka!. “I love the fact that Jeff Mills and Erick Morillo can both play our records,” boasts Josh proudly.

False modesty? Not a bit. It’s all about respect. Now let the music play…