anarchy /ænəki/ (noun): a state of chaos, turmoil, lawlessness or public disorder following the collapse of governance or loss of control
Between being one third of KEINEMUSIK and the guest of honour at parties such as Music On, Rampa is no stranger to seeing Pacha Ibiza get sold out. With the collective committing to much fewer dates as a trio in 2026, it has allowed its members to pursue individual projects.
Rampa's is called ANARCHY and Pacha was the logical place to get it off the ground.
2/3s of KEINEMUSIK: Rampa playing alongside &Me in May 2026
In recent years, Rampa has been accused of coveting the VIP crowd.
KEINEMUSIK's ascent to the top of the electronic music pyramid and the oh-so-predictable backlash has centred around the proliferation of phone use on the dancefloor and a somewhat snobby attitude to "the crowd they attract." Irony dies on the last grievance.
Of the three members, it has been Rampa who's been seen as the one most responsible for filling VIP tables. But let's be real, wherever dancefloors fill, the VIP crowd are never far behind.
As for Pacha, well, its slick brand of clubbing has long been synonymous with high-end table service, world-leading hospitality and the symbolic velvet rope, so in lots way, that makes ANARCHY a curious proposition. The culture is a double-edge sword.
On the one hand, segregation appears to fly against the 'one love' principles that clubbing was built on. That's hard to argue. On the dancefloor, we are all equal.
But on the other hand, in the current climate of ever-spiralling DJ fees, there's a strong argument that big spenders buying bottles subsidise the cost for the average paying punter on the dancefloor. It's a nuanced dynamic. Can't live with it; can't live without it.
Can these seemingly opposite types of club experience co-exist? Or better yet, form a harmonious symbiosis? Rampa seems to think so.
Music is rebellion
We don't need to offer Sven Väth a penny for his thoughts on VIP culture. He's made his position very clear. It will surprise nobody to learn, he was happy to let the music do the talking.
Early on, he selects Joseph's B4U on Pampa, a track which comes from the David August Epikur school of production. It sets the tone nicely and gives flashes of Cocoon 2018. A little while later, it's Boys Noize's ITVLO which pushes the tempo into party zone territory.
For most, the nineteenth season - the only one of twenty spent away from Amnesia - will not be considered a vintage year. Swimming somewhat against the tide of public opinion, I'll always hold a soft spot for it (it was my first summer as a worker - rose-tinted glasses and all that).
Along the journey, we are endowed with musical gifts from Krystal Klear, Guy J and Terrence Dixon. This is Papa Sven with the chains off, free to play what he wants and, crucially, enjoying himself.
Floorplan's piano weapon Eternal Life makes way for another, Activate by Emanuel Satie - a sleeper track and an outside contender for track of the summer (at least in my mind).
Control is handed over to our host, whose first track choice is Rex The Dog's Change This Pain For Ecstasy - giving echoes of KEINEMUSIK's 2024 Pacha takeover. Two years later, there's no denying it's still working for me.
At this point, the number of bodies dancing noticeably increases without reaching uncomfortable levels, as those in the VIP filter down - a true vindication that the dancefloor remains the promised land. What could possibly top it?
Next up, another classic. Midland's Gladys Knight & The Pips sample Final Credits still sounding so, so good. A timeless piece of music reworked to create a different track that's also sure to stand the test of time.
Towards the end of our visit, we even hear some Prince. Musically, it was clear nothing was out of bounds, with the only criterion seemingly being quality trumping any discernible direction. Maybe that was ANARCHY's whole schtick?
It reminded us of a quote from the philosopher Albert Camus: "Be so free that your very existence becomes an act of rebellion."
Anarchy reigns?
There is a second definition of "anarchy" - a political one which has given way to its more favoured modern interpretation, but one which is probably more faithful to what the Ancient Greeks meant when they coined the phrase:
"A belief system that views state government as harmful and unnecessary, which advocates for voluntary cooperation, mutuality and leaderless, non-hierarchical community rather than rule by authoritarianism." It's an interesting take, slightly realigning perspective.
Did ANARCHY reign? The jury's still out.
I couldn't really offer you a clear music policy, nor describe the ANARCHY concept beyond my own biased interpretation. Both production and lighting were limited in scope, with Pacha's customised overhead rig used frugally, giving little away to Rampa's inner creative intentions.
What's undeniable is that Rampa found his way back to the dancefloor. In doing so, he managed to appease clubbers on either side of the velvet rope. Perhaps I need to experience more ANARCHY to determine the proverbial prevailing wind? Colour me curious.
Let's see what summer 2027 brings...
