Nunk (song)

"Nunk"
12" Single Cover
Single by Warp 9
from the album It's a Beat Wave
Released	1982
Genre	Electro, dance-pop
Length	7:19
Label	Prism Records
Writer(s)	Lotti Golden, Richard Scher
Producer(s)	Lotti Golden, Richard Scher
Warp 9 singles chronology
"Nunk" (1982) "Light Years Away" (1983)

"Nunk" (also known as "Nunk (New Wave Funk)") is the first single by the electro hip-hop group, Warp 9, released on Prism Records in 1982, written and produced by Lotti Golden and Richard Scher.^[1] The song appeared on the group's 1983 debut album It's a Beat Wave on Prism Records and 4th & Broadway records in the UK.^[2]

"Nunk" was used in a commercial by New York City radio station WKTU as it exemplified the sound of emerging hip hop ^[3] The all-electronic sound, by 1982, had become the trend on the street and in dance clubs due to "extraordinary advances in electronic music technology in the late 70's and early 80's." ^[4] Drum machines, especially the Roland TR-808 lowered the cost of record production, ^[5] providing opportunities for experimental records, like "Nunk" to hit the airwaves. Warp 9 was described as "the perfect instance of hip hop's contemporary ramifications." ^[6]

"Nunk" was code for NUNK= N-ew wave + f-UNK. ^[7]The record was characterized by a robotic chant, layered with syncopated rhythms and arcade-sounding, sci-fi influenced synths from funky keyboard riffs to eerie string lines. ^[8]"Nunk"'s popularity helped Warp 9 develop a large following in the New York metropolitan area, leading to a world wide deal with Island Records (Prism/Island Records in the U.S.) on which their debut LP, It's a Beat Wave and subsequent singles were released.^[9] The producers, Lotti Golden and Richard Scher mixed dub and instrumental versions of "Nunk" which created additional club and remix possibilities.

References