DJ & Producer · Bucharest, Romania
Priku
Priku is Adrian Niculae, a Bucharest DJ and producer on the Sunrise roster since 2007, known for releases on Arpiar, Eastenderz and his own Motif.
quick facts
- Real name
- Adrian Niculae
- Also known as
- Prik, Atipic
- Birthplace
- Bucharest, Romania
- Nationality
- Romanian
- Based in
- Bucharest, Romania
- Active since
- 2004
- Labels
- Motif Records, Atipic
- Genres
- Minimal Techno, Deep House, Tech House
Sources: xlr8r.com, sunrise.ro, priku.bandcamp.com
Priku is the working name of Adrian Niculae, a Bucharest DJ and producer who joined the booking agency Sunrise in 2007 and has kept a low profile while becoming a regular on the Sunwaves beach bill. In the story of rominimal, the Bucharest minimal scene, Bandcamp Daily names him among the artists carrying it forward today.
Early Life and Path Into Music
According to XLR8R's profile, Priku is Adrian Niculae, born and raised in Bucharest. The magazine says he signed to Catalin Ghinea's Sunrise Booking agency in 2007 and taught himself to mix records, combining an enthusiasm for technology with an enthusiasm for music at a time when the local minimal scene was only beginning to bubble. He first performed as Prik before settling on Priku.
Sunrise's own artist page gives a slightly earlier starting point: it says he has been mixing since 2004 and has been a full member of the Sunrise family since 2007. The same bio says he played the Underground club in Ibiza in 2008, went on to dates in Florence, Rome, Croatia and Belgium, and had his first release at the end of 2009. It lists Marco Carola and Ricardo Villalobos among the DJs he has shared bills with, and notes that he is always a fixture at Sunwaves. The bio dates from around 2009 and has not been updated since.
Sound and Style
XLR8R describes a slick, minimal sound that often leans towards deeper, bassier cuts. Its write-up of his track "Outliers," recorded in his Bucharest studio, calls it deep and dark with a bassy groove and a modern take on the Romanian sound. Bandcamp Daily's 2026 scene report goes further for the ENDZ005 EP, describing it as "snarling and cavernous," with lilting grooves set against dazed chords.
Labels and Releases
Priku's key releases have come on [a:rpia:r], Eastenderz and his own Motif Records, often under his birth name, XLR8R says. Bandcamp Daily says he first surfaced in the orbit of Arpiar in 2012, the label run by Rhadoo, Raresh and Petre Inspirescu.
The Eastenderz release is the one the Bandcamp Daily report highlights. ENDZ005 came out on 10 December 2015 on the London label and has four tracks: "Orga," "Mini Clip," "In Padure La Baneasa" and "Dysfunctional." His Bandcamp page lists a catalogue run for Motif, from Motif001 to Motif005, a separate Atipic series, and says he runs the Atipic label and the Atipic live project. XLR8R adds that as Atipic he tours as a live artist. Resident Advisor's 2015 news item on Arapu lists the I/0 EP, made with Priku, among Arapu's 2015 releases.
Career Highlights
Sunrise lists him among the artists it represents, and Bandcamp Daily's report names Sunrise as his agency. His clearest recent bookings are at Sunwaves: his Bandcamp bio says he has played larger gigs through several Sunwaves performances, and Electronic Groove named him on the bill of SW35, the final Romanian edition held from 1 to 5 May 2025 in Mamaia Nord. Our Sunwaves festival page covers the festival's history and its move abroad. Sunrise's page for Arapu describes frequent back-to-back sets with Arapu and Priku.
XLR8R says Priku shuns media opportunities beyond a few mixes and short interviews, which explains why the public record on him is mostly releases and bookings rather than long profiles.
FAQ
How old is Priku?
Priku has not published his date of birth in any source we found, so we do not give an age. Sunrise says he has been mixing since 2004 and has been a Sunrise member since 2007.
Where is Priku from?
Priku is from Bucharest, Romania. XLR8R says he was born and raised in the city, and his Bandcamp page lists Bucharest as his base.
What genre does Priku play?
Priku plays minimal techno and house, often leaning towards deeper, bassier material. His Eastenderz releases are tagged deep house, deep tech minimal and tech house.
What is Priku's real name?
Priku's real name is Adrian Niculae. He releases under both names and has also used the earlier alias Prik, according to XLR8R.
What is Atipic?
Atipic is Priku's live project and the name of a label he runs, according to his Bandcamp page. XLR8R says he tours as Atipic when he performs live.
Has Priku played Sunwaves?
Yes. Bandcamp lists several Sunwaves performances, and Electronic Groove named him on the bill of SW35, the last Romanian edition of the festival, in May 2025.
Who is Priku signed to?
For bookings, Priku is represented by the Bucharest agency Sunrise, which Catalin Ghinea founded. He has released on Arpiar, Eastenderz and his own Motif Records.
festivals
Past appearances and announced lineups only, each checked against the festival's own records.
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