MRAK is removed from the Afterlife parent company board

The corporate breakdown at the top of Melodic Techno

Carmine Conte, known globally in the electronic scene as MRAK and co-founder of the iconic duo Tale Of Us, has been officially removed from his position as Managing Director of Karmat Music GmbH, the Berlin-based parent company responsible for the label and event promoter Afterlife. The decision marks an unprecedented turning point for the audiovisual brand that transformed the international clubbing landscape over the last decade.

The corporate resolution was formed during a shareholders' meeting held on August 6, 2026, which Conte did not attend nor send legal representation to. Subsequently, on August 17, the Berlin Commercial Register (Handelsregister) made the modification of the bylaws official. With this removal, the board of directors and the operational management of the brand remain under the exclusive control of Matteo Milleri (Anyma) and co-founder Aurelia S. Ortiz.

Accusations of sabotage and the role of SIPAL S.p.A.

The trigger for this drastic measure lies in a complex internal legal litigation. The ownership structure of Karmat Music GmbH is divided symmetrically among its original founders: Milleri, Conte, and Ortiz each hold 30% of the shares, while the remaining 10% belongs to SIPAL S.p.A., a corporate partner of Italian origin. According to reports linked to the shareholders' meeting, MRAK's removal is motivated by alleged leaks of confidential information.

Karmat Music alleges that Conte used his privileged access to the systems to download a large volume of internal documents and share them with SIPAL during a parallel legal battle between said corporation and the Afterlife parent company. Furthermore, the company accuses him of having instructed a lawyer to accept SIPAL's claims on behalf of Karmat, which would have led to a court ruling detrimental to the company in May 2026. In the absence of official confirmation from the courts regarding the veracity of these accusations, MRAK has not issued any public statement on the matter.

The definitive schism of the synthesis titans

Although commercial documents confirm his departure from executive management, records indicate that MRAK retains his 30% of the shares for the time being. However, this legal move formalizes an artistic fracture that the electronic music industry had been observing for almost two years. The duo Tale Of Us has not shared a booth since their last joint appearance in Tulum in January 2025, evidencing an irreconcilable rift.

While the synergy that catapulted them to the top of high BPMs and epic arpeggios fades, both producers have consolidated diametrically opposed trajectories. Matteo Milleri has climbed to a new level of mass appeal with Anyma, headlining historic residencies at The Sphere in Las Vegas and recently founding his own label, ÆDEN Records. For his part, Carmine Conte has focused his artistic vision on the live format with his solo project We Don't Follow. MRAK's departure from Afterlife's management not only closes a fundamental chapter in the history of melodic techno, but completely redraws the hierarchy of one of the most dominant brands on the global circuit.

Sources Consulted