Josh Wink’s “Higher State of Consciousness” Continues to Shape Modern DJ Sets Across Festivals and Clubs
Championed by global heavyweights including Major Lazer, Fatboy Slim, John Summit, Eric Prydz, DJ Falcon, and Étienne de Crécy, the seminal track is still driving peak-time moments across Coachella, Ultra, Red Rocks, and global dancefloors
Watch Major Lazer drop “Higher State of Consciousness” at Coachella
Josh Wink’s influence is once again cutting through contemporary dancefloors, as his iconic track “Higher State of Consciousness” continues to surface in sets from a wide spectrum of artists, spanning mainstage festivals, underground clubs, and next-generation headline performances.
At Coachella and Ultra Music Festival Miami, Major Lazer delivered one of the most high-impact examples, weaving the track into a mashup alongside House of Pain’s “Jump Around,” their own “Jump & Twist” edit, and elements of French Montana’s “Pop That.” The moment moved fluidly between hip-hop, festival energy, and classic rave sonics, highlighting the track’s adaptability nearly three decades after its release.
During Coachella weekend one, Fatboy Slim also brought the record into his set via the Eli Brown edit, layering it within a sequence featuring Samuele Sartini and Jonk’s “We Kept Dancing,” LMFAO’s “I’m In Miami Bitch,” Eminem’s “My Name Is,” and his own “Rockafeller Skank.” The result was a high-energy, genre-blending moment that bridged eras while keeping the track firmly rooted in a modern festival context.
The track is also being reinterpreted by a new wave of headliners. At Red Rocks, John Summit delivered a custom mashup combining Josh Wink and Eli Brown’s version of “Higher State of Consciousness” with his own “In Chicago,” reshaping the classic into a peak-time weapon for contemporary audiences.
Within the techno space, Eric Prydz incorporated a private remix of “Higher State of Consciousness” into his Ultra Music Festival set, layering it within his edit of Cirez D’s “On Off” and Green Velvet and Harvard Bass’ “Lazer Beams.” The inclusion of an unreleased version further underlines the track’s continued relevance among top-tier selectors and producers.
Beyond festival stages, the record continues to hold weight in more curated environments. At LAB11 in Birmingham, DJ Falcon and Étienne de Crécy incorporated “Higher State of Consciousness” into their Heritage set, placing it alongside Junior Jack’s “Thrill Me,” KiNK’s “Raw,” and SNYL and HIGHLITE’s “I Just Can’t Stop.” The sequence positioned Wink’s work within a lineage of influential club records, reinforcing its role as both a historical touchpoint and a still-functional tool.
Across these settings, the track is not revisited out of nostalgia but deployed with purpose. Its signature acid line, pitch-shifted intensity, and stripped-back structure continue to translate seamlessly on modern systems, whether in peak-time festival moments or tightly programmed club sets.
Originally released in 1995, “Higher State of Consciousness” helped define an era of electronic music. Its continued presence today reflects a broader shift across the global circuit, where foundational records are being rediscovered, reworked, and recontextualized by today’s artists, proving that the most forward-thinking productions remain timeless on the dancefloor.
Josh Wink Tour Dates
May 9 – Movement Pre-Party @ TV Lounge, Detroit, MI
May 16 – Family Piknik Goes To Canada, Montreal, Canada
May 29 – House of Yes, Brooklyn, NY
May 30 – Smartbar, Chicago, IL
Jun 21 – DAAD Gathering, Dadpuszta, Hungary
Jul 3 – The Piper, Saint Leonards-on-Sea, UK
Jul 4 – OURS, Frankfurt, Germany
Jul 18 – Calif Fest, Tordera, Barcelona, Spain
Jul 26 – Shambhala Festival, Salmo, British Columbia
Jul 31 – Golden Lion, Todmorden, UK
Aug 1 – Camp Bestival, Dorset, UK
Aug 7 – Shore Sound, Brighton, UK
Aug 8 – Neopop Festival, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
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