Rampa says that the most boring thing is if music isn’t going somewhere. The artist was born Gregor Sütterlin in Freiburg in Germany’s Black Forest and has undergone a massive transition in the last five years. The DJ/producer/label owner is being much more intentional these days, but that hasn’t stopped him from releasing some of the most inspired music of his career.

After relocating to dance-music hotspot Berlin in the mid-2000s, Rampa was inspired to start his own music collective and record label. In 2009, he spearheaded Keinemusik, a six-man operation that called upon his long-time friends &ME, Adam Port, David Mayer, Reznik, and Monja Gentschow. More than a label, Rampa likes to think of Keinemusik as “his own little d.i.y.-cosmos.” The creative space houses a troupe of like-minded artists and friends, prioritizing a DIY approach with the option to rent studio space and collaborate with their in-house artists.

On the live events front, Rampa was flying high by the mid-2010s. He had earned the love of legendary Ibiza party Circoloco amidst a packed calendar and was serving his signature Afro-centric prog sound worldwide. But at the peak of his live career, Rampa took an unexpected six-month break from playing. He cites creative burnout and a lack of enthusiasm for the sudden decision. During his touring hiatus, the producer spent more time in the studio. He indulged his total “nerd” with the inception of the TEILE project – where his company produces and distributes analog effects custom-built for DJing purposes.

This change of pace also paralleled the DJ’s live performance style. He cites a switch to a “less is more” approach to both his music and life. His recently enacted policy of cherry-picking no more than four shows a month makes each one special, one where the dedicated artist can honestly give his all.