Romania is home to some of the most dedicated vinyl diggers out there, who have played an important role in turning YouTube into the treasure trove of electronic music it is today. If you spend time sifting through the endless supply of house, techno and electro gems available on the platform, chances are you’ll stumble upon the channels of Racer X, Teodor, Adrian Cojocaru, or Obre.
I first discovered the latter through his Purring Station channel, where he has shared dozens of tunes from the past and present between 2018 and 2022. This period also marked his beginnings as a DJ and record collector, ignited by the seasoned DJs he heard during his university years in London. When asked about his motivation for sharing music on YouTube, he explains: “I only sought to upload music that I didn’t see on the internet before, as it was a curious thing at the time. Somehow, communities formed around this ‘era of YT channels,’ and it helped in meeting other people keen on exploring dance music in different forms.”
During his time in London, Obre honed his craft as a DJ through appearances at student parties held at Corsica Studios, before returning to Romania. In the meantime, he crossed paths—online and on the dancefloor—with the Romanian collective Trails, which has been organizing parties in Bucharest since 2022, hosting the likes of Onur Özer, Nicolas Lutz and Noizar.
More than just peers, they also serve as a source of inspiration for Obre, as he notes while reflecting on his favorite DJs: “There are a lot of talented people everywhere nowadays, so it’s hard to pinpoint someone, since some are in leagues of their own. But the closest to my heart are those associated with Trails and Romanian friends—Mianda, Teodor, Paul Popa, Koler, Luca (Syntelman), Racer X, Bogdan Nastase, and IP Man.”
Obre’s Early Reflections podcast was recorded just before last Christmas at Platforma Wolff, a cozy club based in Bucharest. Opening the night for Unai Trotti, he showcases the full range of his record collection during the second half of the warm-up slot, playfully shifting between big basslines, quirky vocals, and chunky rhythms for maximum dancefloor impact. Press play and experience the journey—it’s an entrancing excursion into the mind of a young and passionate DJ.