Wonky initially emerged in 2008 as a colorful, exuberant style drawing on hip hop, synth-funk, glitchy electronica, and more eclectic influences, in contrast with the austere sound of the UK's ongoing dubstep and grime scenes.[4] Other influences included American hip hop producers J Dilla and Madlib, with some artists drawing more explicitly on an instrumental hip-hop sound rather than dubstep.[4] The term "wonky" has been rejected by various artists associated with the style.[2]
Wonky is known for its off-kilter rhythms and typically features garish synthesizer tones, melodies, and effects.[3] The "unstable" sound of wonky is often achieved by producing unquantised beats, abandoning the metronomic precision of much electronic music.[4] Artists also use heavy sub-bass, which has been attributed to synergistic effects of bass with the drug ketamine, which became popular in UK clubs during the dubstep era.[4]BBC Music called it a style of "slightly out-of-phase beats and synthesisers that wobble woozily, like they've warped after being left out in the sun."[5]
