Name: Florin Gojnea aka Gojnea76
Nationality: Romanian
Occupation: Producer, DJ, label founder at NINETOZERO
Current Release: Gojnea76's new release “Punisher Braila” is out June 9th 2025 via Future Electronics.
Topics that I am passionate about but rarely get to talk about: Aviation is my biggest hobby, others include moshpits, and collecting old skate videos.

If you enjoyed this Gojnea76 interview and would like to know more about his music and current live dates and releases, visit him on Instagram, Facebook, bandcamp, and Soundcloud. 



Debates around production tend to focus on gear. What, though, were some of the things you learned by talking to colleagues or through performing and/ or recording with other musicians? What role does community play for your interest in production and getting better as a producer?

One important thing I learned after many years of producing and endless talks with other producers, especially during the 4 years I had a studio in a creative hub full of talented people is that it’s all about your own flow and skill, based on who you are.

Whether we’re talking analog studios or purely digital music-making, I really believe it’s all about the flow. Some artists use digital tools better than others use analog gear, and vice versa.

Would you describe yourself as a very “technical” person with a natural affinity for technology, gadgets, electronic circuits, software, etc …? What is your relationship with technology in- and outside of music?

I’m not sure I’d call myself a ‘very technical’ person, but tech definitely runs my life. Not just because that’s the world we live in, but because I genuinely enjoy surrounding myself with the latest gadgets, both as a producer/DJ and in everyday life. I can’t even remember the last time I turned off the lights at home from a physical switch, it’s all phone now.

In the studio, even though I’m surrounded by classics like the 808, 909, Juno-106, and Moog Voyager, I’ve started diving more into software, VSTs, and especially the AI side of things. I embrace the latest tech, I don’t run from it.

[Read our feature about the TR-909 Rhythm Composer]
[Read our feature about the Juno 106]

The word “production” as a separate item from “composition” suggests a creative processes with different stages. Do you see it that way – or are all the steps towards a piece of music always integrated and connected for you?

Good one.

For me, it’s all connected, the lines between composing and producing blur all the time. One flows into the other without me really separating them.

Do you want technology and production to mainly “serve musical ideas” – or do you like to bring them to the fore and play with them?

I think it goes both ways because sometimes I have a clear idea and tech helps me shape it, be it analog or digital.

Other times I just mess around with sounds and something cool pops out.

In how far, would you say, was your evolution as an artist connected to the evolution of your music set-up? Were there shared stepping stones?

Totally. Every time I changed or added something to my setup, it unlocked a new way of thinking or working. Gear upgrades pushed the music forward too.

Every new piece of gear comes with a new manual, whether you have time or not, you end up reading it. That’s knowledge, and it sparks ideas you can apply across your entire setup.

There are artists who can realise their ideas best with a traditional – or modified – piano interface, others with a keyboard and a mouse, yet others by turning knobs or touching screens. What's your preferred and most intuitive/natural way of making music and why?

As much as I love and embrace the digital world, one thing I really don’t enjoy is playing keys on a computer keyboard. It kills the vibe for me. I rely on my Arturia MIDI keyboard, I love playing chords.

Turning knobs on hardware still keeps me grounded, keeps me in the moment. That’s the feeling I’m after. But I don’t stop there, I sometimes make music on flights with just my laptop and saved MIDI notes. I’ve got a huge library of saved MIDI files.

My edit series ‘Everybody Ruins Music Not Just Me’ usually starts on planes and ends back home in the studio.



Tell me about the space of your current studio/workplace and how you've set it up to optimise creativity.

I had a studio in a shared hub for 4 years and it was a great experience. But I went back to where I started: home.

In the meantime, I sold a bunch of my gear and now I try to use fewer tools for a more efficient creative flow. We all love gear, but for my time and creativity, less gear is better.

My track ‘I <3 U’ was made with just a 909, Moog Voyager, and the Octatrack, that’s it.



Late producer SOPHIE said: “You have the possibility with electronic music to generate any texture, and any sound. So why would any musician want to limit themselves?” What's your take on that?

Totally agree. Even if you don’t have a studio full of synths or a massive modular setup, with digital tools today, you can create any sound you want. The real question is: what sound do you want to create? It depends on your curiosity and what pushes you to break barriers.

I work in the minimal/house/ techno industry, but I come from a rock music background - metal, sludge, doom, slam, you name it. So I’m always open to experimenting in my productions, every single day.

I think this track of mine ‘Dakatchawum’ tells a lot about my background.



For you personally, where does composition end and production start (or vice versa)?

I’ve got a 30 minute rule. If I don’t feel the core idea ‘the main loop’ within the first 30 minutes, I delete everything and start fresh, no hard feelings.

Once I’ve got the idea down, finishing the production might take six hours or two days. Here I don’t have any rules, actually I take all the time I need.

From the earliest sketches to the finished piece, tell me about the production process for your current release, please.

My current release is part of my edit series ‘Everybody Ruins Music, Not Just Me’. The idea behind it is taking tracks from artists far away from the dancefloor, like ‘Tyler, the Creator - Yonkers’ and flipping them into club weapons at 128-132 BPM.



I usually sketch ideas on the plane - I travel a lot for gigs - then bring them home for finishing. Even if it’s just an edit and not for vinyl, I give it the same level of attention.

Tell me about your aesthetic preferences for picking effects like reverb, delay, compression, chorus etc … - what was the role of these effects in the production of your current release?

My next release ‘Punisher Braila’ is where I really messed with effects and sound processing compared to my older stuff.

For example, this time I didn’t use any compression, not even on the 909 kick. What I did instead was run the 909 and two other synths through the preamps of my Midas Venice mixer, then pushed the percussion into distortion.

We can watch videos on production, take producer courses, and exchange deep insights on gear forums. Amidst these options to improve one's chops/ skills, how do you keep things playful?

I’m definitely in a constant learning process, especially when it comes to mixing, not just production. All the tutorials, courses, and deep dives help me get faster and better at what I do.

But what really keeps me going is the fact that there are endless ways to make a great track. That freedom is what motivates me, the rest is just tools to help get there.