From a chance meeting in 2005 to becoming one of Berlin’s most enduring electronic music institutions, mobilee Records has spent twenty years helping shape the sound of minimal house and techno. As the label celebrates this rare milestone with a two-part anniversary compilation, we invited the co-founder Ralf Kollmann to discuss the early days of building a label from scratch, navigating seismic industry shifts from vinyl to streaming, underground to mainstream and what it takes to maintain artistic integrity in an increasingly AI-driven, algorithm-dominated landscape.
Ralf Kollmann reflects on mobilee’s evolution from a passion project between electronic music lovers to a full-service platform encompassing artist development, publishing, and immersive audio innovation, all while staying true to the underground spirit that defined Berlin’s golden era. 20 years in the industry is quite a milestone – Happy Anniversary to mobilee!
1. Taking it back to 2005 when you launched Mobilee Records, what was the spark that made you think, “I need to start my own label”? Was there a specific moment or gap in the scene you wanted to fill?
Back in 2005, Berlin was exploding with creativity, but there were still only a few labels that really felt like “home” for the sound and community we were part of. The spark for mobilee was the idea of building a platform that was more than a logo on a record sleeve – a proper company that could combine label work, artist development, publishing and events under one roof. There was also a clear gap for a Berlin based label that took the minimal‑leaning house and techno of that time and pushed it towards something both functional and emotionally engaging. But all this also just happened by accident when Anja Schneider and I met. It all started as a side or hobby or fun project originally initiated by passionate electronic music lovers and ravers.
2. What were some of the toughest challenges you faced when you were first getting Mobilee off the ground?
The success and growth came very fast with our third release „Rancho Relaxo“ suddenly getting us international attention. In the beginning the main challenge was to do everything at once with very limited resources: building a catalogue, defining a sound, growing a team and establishing trust with distributors, promoters and the media. At the same time we had to learn fast how the business side really works – contracts, royalties, neighbouring rights – while still keeping the creative energy high. We wanted to keep as much control as possible in-house. At the same time music distribution changed from physical to digital and we had to navigate through this jungle. Finding the right balance between artistic ambition and financial realism and constantly adapting to new monetization models was probably the hardest lesson in those first years.
3. Mobilee launched during an era when physical sales still dominated, but you’ve navigated the shift to digital, streaming, and now social media-driven discovery. What’s been the most surprising or unexpected change in how the industry operates compared to what you anticipated back then?
When we started, vinyl and physical sales were still the backbone of the label, and nobody predicted how fast the shift to digital, streaming and now social‑media‑driven discovery would happen. The most surprising part is how fragmented attention has become: today a track can live on a streaming playlist, a DJ‑set recording, a TikTok clip and a reel at the same time, all with different audiences and revenue models. For a company like mobilee it forced us to constantly rethink our configurations – who we work with, how we release, how we measure success – and to embrace new formats and technologies instead of fighting them.
4. Twenty years as a record label is a rare achievement in electronic music, many don’t make it past a few years. What do you think has been the key to Mobilee’s longevity and staying power?
Longevity for a label is less about one big hit and more about a cultural hub to establish. We always tried to build long‑term relationships with artists, partners and our audience, and to adapt the structure of the company whenever the industry shifted – from vinyl to digital, from downloads to streaming, from pure label work to integrated artist and label services. Staying curious, staying independent in our mindset, and reinvesting into the scene through education and rights work has helped us stay relevant for two decades.
5. How are you marking this milestone? Any special releases, events, or retrospectives planned to celebrate two decades of Mobilee?
We’re celebrating 20 years of mobilee with a two‑part anniversary compilation that looks at our history in two chapters. Part One focuses on the foundations – early tracks and artists that defined the original mobilee sound – while Part Two highlights the more recent decade and the evolution of the label with a new generation of producers. Around these releases we’re doing selected showcases, including special events in Berlin and at key festivals, that bring together past and present members of the family.
6. Mobilee’s roster has featured everyone from Rodriguez Jr. and Pan-Pot to Maya Jane Coles. When you’re considering an artist for a release, what are the essential qualities or characteristics you’re looking for beyond just the music itself?
The music is the starting point, but it’s not enough on its own. We look for artists with a strong identity, a long‑term artistic vision and a professional attitude – people who are curious, open to feedback and aware of where they fit into the wider scene. It’s also important that there is a human connection and shared values; mobilee has always worked best as a collective, not as a transactional “one record and goodbye” kind of label.
7. Looking at your upcoming release schedule, are there any artists or projects on the horizon that you’re particularly excited about and can share with us?
Right now the anniversary compilations are a big focus, because they connect two generations of mobilee artists and tell our story in a very tangible way. Around that, there are new projects from long‑time core artists as well as newer names from our management and extended family, continuing the thread of house and techno that is emotionally rich, groove‑driven and designed to last beyond a single season. But for the first half in 2026 we are taking a release pause to observe and reflect further on what’s coming next. We are putting a focus on Immersive Audio since a while in collaboration with Immersive Lab – Eric Horstmann. There is lots to explore and big potential for the future in my opinion.
8. Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being used in music production, from generating tracks to mastering. As someone who’s been in the industry for 20 years, what’s your perspective on AI in music creation? Do you see it as a tool that can enhance artistic expression, or does it concern you in terms of authenticity and the future of human creativity in electronic music?
AI will become another tool in the creative process, just like software synths or digital audio workstations were in previous decades. The key question is not whether a machine can generate a track, but whether artists use these tools to deepen their ideas, or to replace thinking and craftsmanship altogether. For labels and rights holders it also raises big questions around ownership, data and fair compensation, so the conversation needs to include not only aesthetics but also infrastructure and ethics. I can also see a countermovement happening back to analog gear and handcrafted music splitting music producers and audiences into different cultural groups. We called it Mainstream vs. Underground back in the days 😉 So I see a future for independent art and culture in the future.
9. You’ve been based in Berlin throughout Mobilee’s entire journey, how do you feel the Berlin electronic music scene has evolved over these two decades? Do you think it’s maintained its edge and underground spirit, or has commercialization and tourism fundamentally changed its character?
Berlin has changed massively over the last 20 years: from a relatively small, tight‑knit community to a global destination and a fully developed nightlife economy. Some things inevitably got more commercial and regulated, but there is still a strong underground spirit in the smaller venues, off‑locations and collectives that keep experimenting. The challenge now is to protect cultural spaces and keep room for risk‑taking, while accepting that the city is also a magnet for tourism, creative industries and start ups. Berlin is still a place where new trends are born. Legendary clubs close one week, new ones open the next. The electronic music culture here is vibrant and diverse, and Berlin truly still deserves its title as the global hit for techno.
10. Beyond running Mobilee, do you have other projects or ventures that keep you busy? And when you do find some rare free time away from the label and the studio, how do you like to spend it? Do you have any hobbies or interests that help you disconnect from the music industry?
Besides running mobilee records, I’m deeply involved in industry work around immersive audio, music rights and education mainly through my affiliations with Bridges For Music and AFEM. And artist management and brand consulting through I‑AM‑MGMT. When there is time away from the music and artist biz, it’s important to disconnect a bit – spending time with family and friends, being outside and consuming culture without always thinking about releases, concepts or strategy. I am currently listening to a lot of pop music from the 80ies, 90ies and early 2000. That balance helps to come back with fresh ears and new perspectives, which ultimately benefits the music and the artists we work with.
Pre-Order on Beatport: 20 Years Mobilee
feat. Re.You, Rodriguez Jr., Liset Alea, Pan-Pot, Cari Golden, And.ID, Sebo K, Audiojack, Russ Gabriel, Burnski
feat. Rodriguez Jr., M.E.M.O., N1NJA, Wahm, dOP, Luke Alessi, Lis Sarroca, Jonas Rathsmann, Ursula Rucker, SIS, Timo Maas, Wareika, Affkt