After near-death and chronic pain, Gojnea76 returns stronger with ‘Punisher Braila’

Romanian producer Gojnea76 isn’t just making music, he’s crafting a sonic autobiography powered by pain, perseverance, and pure adrenaline. Fiercely independent and rooted in the underground, Gojnea76 has forged a sound all his own; an unfiltered fusion of house, techno, and hardcore attitude.

Born in Brăila and raised on metal, sludge, slam, and punk, G76 brings rock’s raw spirit into the club, channelling his love for motorsports and moshpits into floor-shaking grooves. But behind the energy lies a deeper story: two life-altering accidents: a motorcycle crash in 2007 and a spinal fracture in 2018, which nearly ended his career. 

Years of rehab followed, culminating in a creative rebirth that’s now fuelling everything he does, from founding his own label Future Electronicsin 2024, to launching FUEL, his party and release series.

Now, he returns with his most personal work yet, the Punisher Braila EP. The four-track release rides a fine line between extroverted house energy and the gritty edges of techno, spliced with metal-flecked aggression and restless experimentation. From the muscular chaos of the title track to the growling basslines of Nights and the warped tension of Sash, Gojnea76 proves he isn’t just back, he’s evolved.

Your journey from rock music to electronic music is quite intriguing. How did your early obsession with rock music influence your transition into electronic music, and how do you see those influences reflected in your current productions?

I’m still into rock music, my latest bands on repeat this month are PeelingFlesh and Sanguisugabogg. I remember being a kid and slowly migrating from rock to drum & bass, then I discovered Café Del Mar Chillout Sessions and Terry Lee Brown Jr. - Terry’s Café. Going from rock to Terry’s Café is a wild leap, but those were the steps: rock - dnb - deep house.

Rock still plays a big part in how I create today. It shapes my energy in the studio and what I want to hear. I get inspired by other electronic producers, but the flow and sound approach, that’s where the rock DNA shows up. If it doesn’t have a twist or a bit of heavyness, it doesn’t satisfy me. Motorsports played a significant role in your life, offering both thrills and challenges.

How has your passion for motorsports influenced your approach to music production and your artistic expression?

Same as with rock music, I’m always chasing that rawness. I love adrenaline and I love being moved by something real and intense, that rush. That’s who I am. I’m not here for the soft stuff, my girlfriend handles that side of life, not me. If it’s loud engines, reactors, speed, moshpits or circle pits, I’m in! That’s the energy I carry into the studio, whether I mean to or not. This isn’t a performance, this is me. I wouldn’t know how to make music any other way.

Reflecting on your challenging experiences, such as your motorcycle accident in 2007 and your spinal fracture in 2018, how have these moments shaped your perspective on life and your music career?

Damn, that was a tough one, especially the 2018 spinal fracture. That one stays with me for life because it’s irreversible, so I have to train daily. Luckily, things are really good now, but I’ve been down. I’ve been way past rock bottom vibes. When you can’t move and you’re stuck in bed for six months, then spend the next four years dealing with chronic pain from morning till night, it messes with your head.

I saw countless doctors, top neurosurgeons, and nobody could fix the pain. That’s when I had to carve my own path. I had to rebirth myself, and music came with that. My sound used to be super low, drained, shadowy, but now I’m bangin’ like there’s no tomorrow.

The 2022 car crash was another near-death experience. You mentioned feeling like you were no longer a spectator to these kinds of tragedies. Did that incident fundamentally shift your mindset, not just in life but in how you approach music?

Even though the spinal fracture already forced me to start fresh, I truly think the 2022 car crash triggered something way deeper, something no therapy or practice ever could. I meditate every day, plus cold showers, ice baths in winter, tons of high-quality supplements, movement, mental health work. I’ve built this whole system to stay grounded and keep my mind in check. But nothing compares to a near-death experience that shows you how fragile life really is. When you realise how quickly it can all end, it humbles your entire existence. And from that moment on, you stop taking anything for granted, in life or in music. The clarity I’ve had since that crash feels like I got a brain shower. No more mental fog, no more anxiety. Just energy, focus, and hunger for life.

You mentioned a turning point in 2018 that led to a period of rebuilding, both physically and creatively. How did this transformative experience influence the direction of your music and your approach to performance?

After the injury, I slowly got back into the studio and behind the decks. But when you’re in constant pain and your cortisol is all over the place from chronic inflammation, it’s wild to see how someone creates while suffering. Whether it’s heartbreak or pain, it still comes from the same place. People say the best songs are made by people in pain or heartbroken, maybe true, maybe not, but I’d rather make music while happy, healthy and chill. Back then, my music was low-energy and drained. My sets felt low too, and even the mixdowns in the studio were poor because I had no patience to deal with the details. Now it is a totally different story. Speaking of studio, my mixdowns hit hard, I’m always close to blowing up a speaker. And after years of not being able to dance, now I love making music that makes me dance, and the dancefloor too.

Techno or house, I don’t care, I just want it to feel like someone’s birthday party.

Launching your own label, Future Electronics, in 2024 was a significant step. What inspired you to start your own label, and how does it align with your artistic vision and values?

Starting fresh in my personal life naturally shifted my musical one too. Future Electronics isn’t about futuristic music or revolutionising sounds, not at all. It’s actually a hidden thought, it’s about my story. About my transformation. All the stuff I couldn’t have even imagined between 2018 and 2023, but somehow got through. It wasn’t the hundreds of hours of rehab, fancy machines or expensive treatments that saved me. It was inner power. Sounds cheesy, but it’s real. That’s the secret. The mind and soul is a beautiful place. Those are the ‘Future Electronics.’

Your track L5-S1 was deeply personal, named after your spinal injury. How do personal experiences and emotions influence the themes and sounds in your music?

It was personal, yeah. I made that track during a full-on chronic pain episode after my injury. I didn’t plan to work while in pain but the pain was there anyway. That’s why the track came out melancholic, it reflects the moment. Looking back, once I started recovery, I noticed how much my music changed. The sound, the approach, the mixdowns. Of course emotions influence the music, that’s what it’s all about, but now, if I’m having a rough day or stress kicks in, I don’t force it. I take a step back, deal with whatever’s going on, and only come back to music with a fresh mind.

Music is therapy, for sure, it can do wonders. But it can also sweep your problems under the rug without fixing them. That’s why I treat this process like playing a good video game or watching a great movie; it helps you forget, but the problems are still there. So I’d rather stay honest with myself and not use music to escape. I want my creative process to come from clarity, not from avoidance. That’s who I am now.

Your music has been described as a unique fusion of styles, creating what some call a logical progression of house music. How do you see your sound evolving, and what experimental elements do you enjoy incorporating into your productions?

909 909 909 909 + Moog. The influence from hardcore and metal is very present in my music. My fractured spine and the 2022 accident definitely contributed to that shift, but the real core is rock.

Even if I make a more housy or summerish track, it still has a twist, some weird harsh bassline, some grit. I use a lot of old gear like Roland 909, 808, 101 but the way I combine them with modern elements and how I structure the tracks, that’s probably what makes it sound like a modern take on classic foundations. I never thought about it like that until now, but yeah that’s the formula. Solid base, then twist it. 

Your new EP, Punisher Braila, showcases a blend of house and tech influences. What is the inspiration behind this EP and what listeners can expect from it?

Punisher Braila means a lot to me. I worked on it mostly while on the road, in hotel rooms, flights, between gigs. Then, when I got home, I reworked the sketches properly on my gear. The first track, the title track, samples vocals from a US band I love called Psyopus. The lyrics reminded me of a typical kind of relationship from my hometown Braila, but told in a funny way.

On Sash you can hear my Memphis rap influences, I love that stuff. Nights clearly shows my drum & bass roots – those raw basslines are addictive as hell. And Let’s Chat is probably the best representation of where I am now, that sweet spot between positive and aggressive.

With Punisher Braila releasing soon, could you take me through the creative process behind this EP? What were some of the challenges and highlights during its production?

I didn’t make these four tracks specifically for this EP, I picked them out of a bigger batch because they shared a similar energy from the moment I created them. I wasn’t looking for similar vibes or style. Just that same spark when I started each one. Most of the EP was made on the road, finished in the studio.

That’s something I’ve been doing more lately, making music while traveling, letting new places inspire me. No challenges really, just good highlights. Like banging my head in airplanes for hours, working on new music while the flight attendants looked at me weird.

You’ve described your past productions as “heavy, drained, shadowy” - reflections of the physical and emotional pain you were in. How would you describe the emotional tone of Punisher Braila? What changed in the sound and spirit?

Punisher Braila is banging and fun. That’s the vibe. All four tracks are fun and powerful. I learned from hardcore how to make aggressive music sound fresh, and even happy. If I compare Punisher Braila to my past stuff strictly in terms of energy, it’s an evolution, an expansion, a new level. It’s not a change in style, it’s just a new energy in my life, and it shows.

Same music, different vibe.

With your catalogue now exceeding 100 tracks and counting, what sets Punisher Braila apart for you creatively?

Even though almost a year passed between making these tracks and actually releasing this EP, I’ve grown a lot since then. I learn new stuff every day and I love that. Punisher Braila might not be the last thing I produced, but it’s the most recent one I’ve officially put out.

And compared to the rest of my releases, this one really hits the energy I was aiming for. I’ve been playing these tracks all year, but now that the vinyl is out, it feels like I’m playing them for the first time again. I’m super proud of how this one turned out.

You’ve often said pain taught you discipline. But discipline can be a double-edged sword, especially after trauma. How do you balance pushing yourself creatively with protecting your health and peace now?

It’s true, pain taught me discipline and that’s what made me who I am today. I had no choice. And the thing is, I actually love being disciplined, it’s what keeps me grounded and at peace. Sometimes your mind tricks you into slipping, but I stick to a routine. I avoid excess, even doomscrolling.

I do transcendental meditation daily (I love you, David Lynch), cold showers, ice baths in winter, daily 12 minute breathwork, and of course, physical training. One, for health. Two, to stabilise and support my fractured spine. So yeah, double win.

I take a bunch of supplements and I’ve gone so deep into that world, I could probably hold my own on Joe Rogan or Huberman’s podcast!

You’ve built a unique path: independent, raw, physically and spiritually rebuilt. Now that you’ve come out the other side, what does success mean to you? Has that definition changed since before your injuries?

Professionally, I feel like I’ve just started, still a long way to go before I hit that career level I’m aiming for. But personally, as in the real me, the source of all the music and energy, I already feel successful. I feel like I already made it the moment I survived that crash in 2022. I felt successful the day I woke up without chronic pain. I felt successful when I could finally give protection and quality time back to my family and the people around me. I feel successful with the life I have.

If you met your 18-year-old self right now (the kid chasing speed and metal) what would you tell him?

I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything I am now and all this fire I have it’s all because of my past, even the accidents. No regrets. I love my life and I fully embrace it. What would I tell my 18 year old self and every young person out there? Enjoy yourself, have fun, and share only, but only love. Also to buy tickets at Sound and Fury 2022 to see Gulch’s last show.