Beginning his journey in 1984, Reinhold became a DJ in the Cologne music scene, initially focusing on independent music. By 1989, he shifted his attention toward electronic music, and in 1990, alongside Sascha Kösch, the former editor-in-chief of the now-defunct music magazine de:Bug, he co-founded the Cosmic Orgasm Soundsystem. This collaboration led to performances at early techno and acid parties, establishing his reputation within the Cologne area.
From 1991 to 1993, Reinhold joined the DJ team at the Frankfurt label Force Inc. Music Works, collaborating with notable figures such as Ian Pooley, Tonka, Alec Empire, and Thomas P. Heckmann. His career took a new direction between 1994 and 1998 when he became a music critic for the magazines Spex and Frontpage. During this period, he authored over 3,500 record reviews and conducted interviews with numerous artists, including the elusive Aphex Twin. He was also photographed by Wolfgang Tillmans while labeling Analog Bubble Bath III with Richard James. Following the insolvency of Frontpage, Reinhold co-founded de:Bug, a publication focused on electronic aspects of life, with Sascha Kösch, Mercedes Bunz, and Benjamin Weiss.
Reinhold had live performances with the Finnish music group Pan Sonic and played at events for the Chemnitz label Raster-Noton alongside Carsten Nicolai. His connection with the Cologne record shop Kompakt spanned seven years, and he served as a resident DJ at the Berlin club Elektro, run by Daniel Pflumm, later performing at its successor, Panasonic. In 1994, under the alias Triple R, he released the Red Flare EP on Peter Wacha's Disko B label, followed by the 12" Rendezvous / Chat in 1995 as RRR on the Elektro Music Department (EMD) label.
In 1998, Reinhold traveled to Argentina for the German Goethe Institute, where he engaged with the local electronic music scene, leading to collaborations with various Argentinian musicians. This experience inspired him to establish the Traum Schallplatten label that same year, with his then-girlfriend and now-wife Jacqueline (DJ Anima). The label's inaugural release was the compilation CD Elektronische Musik aus Buenos Aires, showcasing previously unknown Argentinian techno and electro musicians in Europe.
Over the years, Traum expanded to include the sub-label Trapez in 2000 and My Best Friend (MBF) in 2003. It featured releases from artists such as Gabriel Ananda, Dominik Eulberg, Extrawelt, and Minilogue, alongside Reinhold's own works and the DJ mix series Selection. In 2002, the Cologne label Kompakt released the mix CD Friends, followed by his debut album Friends are Silence on My Best Friend. Collaborating with British producer Steve Barnes, he released music under the name Cosmic Sandwich, where he often took a background role.
In 1999, Riley hosted the weekly radio show "Tiefklang" on Station Evosonic. By 2005, he became a resident DJ at the Cologne club Sensor, continuing to perform internationally, including annual sets at the Berlin techno club Berghain/Panorama Bar. In 2003, he collaborated with Steve Barnes to release several singles as Riley Reinhold & Steve Barnes and under the alias Odyssey. He also partnered with Jorge Gebauhr to produce two records in 2004 under the pseudonym Toro. In 2007, he resumed his role as a cultural ambassador for the Goethe-Institut, presenting "Electronic Music from North Rhine-Westphalia" alongside DJ Martin Juhls in Estonia.
Since 2008, Reinhold has placed greater emphasis on his productions while continuing his A&R work for the Traum and MBF labels. He has collaborated with various artists, including Tim Fehske, who has produced videos for Roland M. Dill, [a]pendics.shuffle, Dilo, and Reinhold himself. In 2009, he produced a remix for the New York band LCD Soundsystem, whose album 45:33 was released on DFA Records, and founded the sub-label Paintwork.
In 2010, Reinhold released Black Timbre (MBF ltd 12020), accompanied by a video for the track I Remember, produced by multiple Adolf Grimme Award winner and documentary filmmaker Thomas Schmitt. He also released the single Hollow Hills in April 2010, featuring remixes by Parisian Gohan and Cologne-based Oeler. In 2011, he signed British producer Max Cooper for a series of seven releases.
Through his Traum Label nights, he has appeared alongside Dominik Eulberg and other friends at various clubs in Germany, including Hamburg's Uebel & Gefährlich and venues in Cologne such as Artheater, Heinz Gaul, Kunstwert, and Zimmermanns. In 2012, he was featured in a segment by Creative NRW and launched the compilation series Tour De Traum, which attracted new producers to the Traum label. His collaboration with the Cologne producer duo Salz increased activity for the techno-dub label Telrae. His signings of artists like Max Cooper, Ryan Davis, Microtrauma, and Nick Dow revitalized the label, and the Tour De Traum compilation series became a personal passion, allowing him to select around 40 artists annually for both summer and winter editions. A significant goal for him is to foster a welcoming environment for artists, prioritizing social quality over algorithm-driven decisions.
