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Have you ever considered that you would like to create your own music but never really took the step to do so? Maybe because it seems like it’s too much to learn? Then this is your chance. This article is produced in collaboration with Novation. Launchkey Mini MK3 from Novation is all you need to get started right away. It’s the manufacturers most compact and portable 25-mini-key MIDI keyboard controller, so small that it easily fits in a regular backpack. That makes it your perfect keyboard for both making music at home and when travelling, and you never need to pause the creativity. It's not just the compact size that makes the Launchkey Mini K3 available. The price tag of 109.99 € also means that most people can afford to start creating. The Launchkey Mini MK3 is easy to use in Ableton Live and gets you instantly going. It’s got its own inituitive Ableton control, an arpeggiator, fixed chord mode, MIDI out and a lot of different sounds available in the box. This will make you put less time into learning the techniques behind it and more time on getting creative. Plug it in and start When testing the keyboard, the first thing that strikes us is how easy it is to use by just plugging it into the computer. An hour later we have our first intro to a track. Availability is crucial for the Launchkey Mini MK3, which makes it easy to experiment and play in Ableton Live in search of the right soundscape. With this product, Novation makes music creation accessible to everyone and only our creativity now sets the limits.

Farah Haze gets invited to a sex party. Illustration by: Iza Buleczka I assumed I’d get to a sex party in this city sooner. With a sexual appetite you’d struggle to describe as modest, sane, or even safe, I thought the moment would present itself. The usuals intrigued me, but the queues put me off. I wanted maximum debauchery, minimum effort. I’d like an orgy to spontaneously coalesce around me, please. Don’t the best things in life come to you? And on you, in a room full of strangers fucking? It didn’t quite happen like that. But it is true things find you in the end. I was a month into a blossoming friendship-romance with Eli, 25, from Barcelona. So it was make or break territory: flirting with being forever refined to the new-friend-graveyard of Insta DMs, a memorial for those relationships that never get off the ground. (The people you have to catch up and need to get a drink with, DM to make, postpone and cancel plans with ad infinitum. This goes on for years. So long one of you moves to Prenzlauer Berg and you are finally free.) But Eli was captivating. Naturally energetic, stunning and disarmingly smart, she’s also a true deviant. An enlightened sinner. Text from the enlightened sinner. Do I want to come to a sex party tonight? Her friend’s dropped out and there’s a €50 ticket to snap up. I’m deep in my ‘say yes’ phase, before the pandemic essentially cancels the concept of decision making, and chaotic energy is my lifeforce. So I’m in, no questions asked. Well, one. Where the fuck do you get a hooded robe from in Neukölln on a Friday night? It’s the dress code, as specified in on the group message sent out from the organizers. I muster a vintage silk robe and cheap lingerie that just about passes as matching. Of the 150 people crammed into the private party in a penthouse overlooking Boxhagener Platz, I’m one of the few without one. The enlightened sinner is more prepared, wearing strappy lingerie under a full length red velour cape, little red riding hood style. When we arrive, she’s hood up, clutching two bottles of Rötkappchen in the lift up to the top floor. The hero Berlin deserves. The place is packed. The 300sqm penthouse is basically a sex club for the night. There’s a main room with a dancefloor. And three separate rooms, each startlingly well-lit and filled with damp mattresses and people grinding unselfconsciously under the bright lights. The enlightened sinner and I take up space on the side of the dancefloor, clutching our wine in cups and watching the bodies in the room. She dives straight in, snogging guys and girls and making a big show of it as others watch. Turns out, I’m not so much of a natural. I’m not super aroused when two minutes of average small talk is the gateway to guys shoving their tongue down your throat, but I think, I guess I did come to a sex party? So I let go, and one of the two-minuters slips his fingers in my pants. Something about the dull lack of connection and awkward dancefloor finger bang makes me feel like a teenager, and I pull away. Consent is sexy. And there doesn’t seem to be a huge emphasis on it from the guys hungrily prodding pussies on the dancefloor. So I spend a lot of time grilling people about their life in the sex party scene. I meet an NYC rich kid with a thing for ketamine. Wholesome party people genuinely warmed by the sense of community in the scene. A few unfriendly hotties. While everyone around me’s fucking, my insistence on getting people’s life stories doesn’t make me hugely popular. On the balcony around 3am, I’m wasted and ready to admit defeat. I need a final cigarette before I slip away in an Uber. A woman with unbelievable, cartoonishly-perfect boobs softly demands I touch them before I’m allowed one. Next to her, a woman in a mask, bunny ears and latex (under her cape, of course) lightly roasts me for my sloppy German. Straight away, I’m in the palm of her hands. Though not as much as her slave. Stood obediently at her side, she holds a tight grip on a lead attached to the neck of his full face, leather mask. She barks orders at him and tugs on his leash. His devotion is touching. And in her tough controlling of him, there’s true tenderness in her eyes. So yeah, I need the story. He tells me what they have is love. They’re both married and their partners are aware of the dynamic. She offers him something transcendent. And in a way I can’t understand, he does to her. The dom bunny looks at my waist. “Can I touch it?” Yes! Finally. I blather on about how I’ve been missing that sexy consent all night. She laughs knowingly. “Can I kiss you?” She pulls me in, her leather harness presses against me. This was the genuine connection I had given up on. She asks her slave if she can take me inside. It’s on. She walks me to the front of the dancefloor, parks me by a chaise longue. We start making out. Drop our robes. At some point I end up on the chaise, on all fours, ass facing the dancefloor, face buried in the cheap velvet. Kneeling behind me, she grinds against me and pulls my head back to kiss. She asks if she can spank me, tells me to say if it’s too much. Then she gives me loud, hard smacks, increasing in intensity. She knows what she’s doing. In between she puts her mouth on my pussy, her hands in my hair. It’s ecstatic, electrifying, and the crowd behind us melts away. She tells me she’s going to give me some really hard ones. I’m hers. In the moment, I slip off somewhere else, and breathe into the pain. We’re both pretty blown away. We gather our things and have a drink by the bar, giddy. Brought back to life, the crowded room comes back to us and we can’t match the same intensity. I lose the dom bunny shortly after that. I leave the enlightened sinner to her debauched evening, and sit my flushed ass in an Uber back to Neukölln, smug and giddy about the moment that had presented itself, when I wasn’t looking.

Factory Berlin and Sónar+D’s Artist in Residence program supports artists exploring new lines of inquiry, intersecting technology & society. With support from Beats by Dr. Dre, the program aims to discover how creativity in technology and exploratory art can work together. This autumn the program is launching its second edition, with hundreds of applications from artists all around the world. The multidisciplinary designer, AR filter creator and creative technologist Tabitha Swanson was one of the participants. – I joined with 11 creatives from a collective I’m a part of, Digi-Gxl . We all came from slightly different creative backgrounds, myself coming from multi-disciplinary design and creative tech backgrounds. I work in art direction, UX/UI, and XR, but have a background in marketing, design, and fashion as well. So many of the other creatives are also multi-disciplinary and I think that allowed us to look at things from many different angles. The main project Tabitha Swanson and her fellow colleagues worked on during the residency was a collaborative VR gallery where they all showcased pieces of the work in a surreal fantastical space that the user could walk around and experience. Today she is very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the program. – It meant a lot in different ways, honestly. The Factory Berlin team is incredible, with a special shoutout to Sandira Blas (Curator & Researcher, Artist Residencies) who’s the backbone of this program. I appreciated having a safe and open space to work on and talk about ideas that were sometimes very outside of common practices. I think it’s what naturally happens when you put a bunch of creative people who are very passionate about what they do in enclosed quarters for a long time – the ideas just start flowing and don’t stop. Factory Berlin has taken up a very solid part of my life in terms of community and the people I worked with in the program have not only become peers to work on projects with, but dear friends. Another participant was Caroline Barrueco , experienced in 3D printing and experimental tech, who was also involved in the VR gallery. During the residency she took the opportunity to collaborate with several fellow residents and finalized many creative projects. With residents Yifan Pu and Jutta Babak she developed a facial recognition blocker mask and with Reeps100 she 3D printed a vocal sculpture, giving a physical shape to his voice. – I – I learned a lot about how to brand my art. This connection of artists and entrepreneurs is truly needed by both parts, and the Factory Berlin x Sónar+D residency was good in bridging such conversations. Click here to learn more about the program, the artists, and meet the new residents! This article is made in collaboration with Factory Berlin .

And there is an opening party this weekend. It has stormed around the legendary club, which was forced to move due to expired contracts and gentrification. But now everything seems to have been resolved, despite COVID-19 and a dance ban. The organizers behind Griessmuehle have found a new location, slightly to the east, in the district Niederschöneweide. The premises are part of a Bärenquell-Brauerei, a brewery that existed until 1994. On Friday, the club premieres in its new location, Revier Südost, with a lineup that you can find below. Acierate (synoid, southeastern district) Content of the night (lively, revier southeast) Lokier (district southeast) Parallx (r-label group, district southeast) Tham (synoid, lively, river southeast) More about the event on Resident Advisor.

You may have heard that Berlin is called the ‘capital of loneliness’. If you have ever felt lonely, you’re probably not surprised to learn that loneliness has a big impact on our health. We have some great tips on where to live and what to do to avoid loneliness in Berlin. This is an advertorial article in collaboration with LifeX. Everything from our lifestyle choices to the people we spend our time with has an effect on our physical and mental health. When we talk about health, most conversations naturally revolve around diet and exercise - we often overlook other important factors, such as loneliness. Our sense of belonging has a huge impact on health, though it might seem less obvious than what we eat or how often we hit the gym. It’s natural to feel lonely when you’re living in a new city - luckily, we have some tips for you that will help you connect with like-minded individuals and solve your housing needs . Join a Club If you’re feeling a bit lonely it’s the perfect time to start a new hobby or get back into an old one! Joining a club is an excellent way to meet like-minded people who enjoy similar activities. A running club is a good example, most cities have running clubs available at all levels. It’s a great way to work on your fitness and meet new people - plus it never hurts to get outdoors and get your endorphins pumping! If you’re not into sports, try something like a meetup group, or sign up for a class (language, art, music etc.) If you’re part of a community, like LifeX, attend an event or kickstart one of your own. These are excellent ways to meet others and learn something new! Log Off (Take a Tech Break) Stop the endless scrolling! Practice good technology habits by limiting your amount of screen time. If you don’t have the willpower, delete your most addictive apps or get an app that limits screen time. Spending too much time with your head buried in your screen disengages you from the world around you, especially if you’re browsing social media. It’s easy to compare and feel negatively about your own life, remember that social media is a highlight reel and no one is sharing their ‘real’ day-to-day struggles. Invest your time in chatting with your flat-mates and neighbors - you’ll be surprised what you missed while you were scrolling! Volunteer Help others in any way you can, whether it’s committing to an organization/cause or simply making yourself available to those who need it. No matter what your skill set is you can make a difference by giving your time and energy. Not only will you improve someone else’s life, you will be exposed to many new people this way! It’s a win-win situation and should also serve as a mood booster if you’re feeling low. Think about your skills and how you could impact your community, contact your local volunteer organizations and find opportunities to get involved! Try Co-Living! Co-living is a modern type of shared living for those who want to experience social and hassle-free living. It’s not just for those who are new to a city, many people live in co-living homes to achieve a better balance between their busy professional and social lives. A balanced lifestyle is easier to maintain with co-living as you’re not sacrificing your free time on household upkeep. Co-living with LifeX helps you feel at home and provides the foundation for you to thrive in Berlin . Their Scandinavian designed apartments in the city center will be a calm oasis in your busy life. Share a flat with people who are just as excited as you are to explore the city and submerge themselves into the Berlin lifestyle. If you’re currently on the market for a new place and interested in co-living, you’re in luck as they are offering the first month’s rent free* Whether introverted or extroverted, scientific studies report better mental and physical health from social interaction - companionship may be the key to making your life in Berlin everything you dreamed of and more. Moving into your own room in a beautifully furnished co-living apartment is a great place to start. Especially since you will be sharing a home with people just like you - but from all over the world! If you’re moving to Berlin, it doesn’t have to be lonely or stressful, just pack your bags and let LifeX take care of the rest. Instead of spending your first months organizing to get settled, you can spend your time doing what you love. Whether it’s focusing on work and creative projects, learning German, or just winding down at home with your flat-mates. Co-living with LifeX, and following our tips, will be sure to keep feelings of loneliness away! *The first month's rent is free for new members joining in Berlin with a 6-month minimum stay. Valid until November 1st 2020. S ee the homes & apply online today here! Check out LifeX’s other cities here!

This exhibition takes place right now. We went on an vernissage dinner at The Reed to eat a three course dinner, wine and drinks – while enjoying a digital exhibition featuring artists such as Harriet Davey and Tabitha Swanson and it was beautiful. Today the doors are open at The Reed - pass by and enjoy a Moscow Mule, some Lamb ribs or vegan alternatives and the beautiful work done by the talented digital artists. ABOUT THE ARTISTS Gabriel Massan is a digital artist origined in Brazil who works on the dependency relationship between fictional existences and digital environments. Tabitha Swanson appears as a specimen of an online race. A designer and creative technologist using 3D rendering, AR face filters and sometimes synthetic makeup on her own body, she offers the vision of a migrant from a virtual world. Julia Parchimowicz is a Polish born, Berlin based 3D sculptor, VR explorer, an art director and a VJ. She takes inspiration from the world of video games, primal aesthetics, and cute animals. Naive aesthetics and sly virtual entities meet in her worlds, born out of nostalgia for cave drawings of the digital age. Harriet Davey is a 3D Artist, Graphic Designer, and AR creator based across London and Berlin. Obsessed with questioning what it means to be fluid and human in a digital world: her work examines and interrogates the ugly and the beautiful; the maximum and the minimum; the online and the offline. Jurek Górecki is a digital Artist and Illustrator based in Berlin, Germany. Heavily inspired by the comics and cartoons of the early 90s and his childhood, he started drawing comics and designing characters at the age of seven. His work can be characterized by the use of bold outlines, an extreme range of color and contrast, speechbubbles, vibrant backgrounds and onomatopoesis. ABOUT THE REED As a culture and lifestyle hub, THE REED is the heart of the John Reed brand. The Club House where the brand values fitness, lifestyle and music are given the appropriate stage. Be it Berlinale After Show or Fashion Week Parties, Record Release Events or exhibitions during Art Week.

Playful's Emma Maar went to an actual festival in 2020. This is her experience. Through Covid19 we have had to experience music and dance in an extremely different mindset and environment. To be free through dance and to be consumed by music, was and still is a strong urge for many. We have fed this craving in unique ways, whether it be through live streaming our favorite artists or isolated dance. I had often questioned the feelings of those behind the music, whose art habitually relies on the energy and connection of a crowd. My curiosity and appetite led me to attend a festival south of Berlin, in the small town of Göritz. I was consumed by nature, music, dance and the energies of others. The individual lust for music and dance became a euphoric movement once again. While at the festival I had a chance to speak with a Berlin based dj, Lisbird. We sat down in the sun, with mellow beats and a strong cup of coffee accompanying our conversations. Lisbird spoke of her journey through music, and I found myself captivated by how mindful she is and how much meaning is held within her words. Through Covid19 Lisbird has done online live sessions, but not being able to perform for a live audience comes with challenges. The days when motivation and energy are low, are days where the crowd is usually there to uplift, when this crowd disappears you, as the performer, are dependent on the guidance of yourself and those few around you. As we spoke of this, I noticed how intimately connected the relationship is between the crowd and the performer. A symbiosis, led by the rhythm of our senses. Lisbird explained how her biology studies and passion for music, have been difficult worlds to balance and blend, yet through a pandemic these two existences finally intertwined. Lisbird was able to express her academic passion, while strengthening and spreading awareness about Covid19 to the music scene. Lisbird and I continued to speak about the importance of creating safe spaces within the music and club culture. I realized, through her words, how meaningful this truly is. Attending a festival during a pandemic comes with its insecurities, but I continued to feel safe, respected and aware, which gave me a sense of freedom I would not of had if those feelings were not present. We connected similar emotions to Berlin. I believe Berlin has become the city it has, because you are encouraged to be who you are and if you don’t know who that is, nobody gives a fuck. There is a safe and beautiful space for you, especially on the dancefloor. Speaking to Lisbird awakened thoughts and knowledge which gave me a different sense of the way I experienced Wilde Möhre and the way I look at the music culture in Berlin. I was stoked to see her perform the next day, our words still fresh on my tongue and within mind. Being at Lisbird and Cara Carppacio’s B2B performance at Wilde Möhre, was a sensation I had not felt in a while. I felt liberated through the wave of sound and movement, which they created for us. I felt my body lifted, through the gravity of sensual groove and funk. The energy was like a sweet nectar we all could taste. I felt the pleasure radiating off of Lisbird and Cara Carpaccio while they performed and in return the crowds desire evolved. Lisbird opened my eyes to new angels within the music scene, in and out of Berlin, before and during Covid19. This shit is hard for performers and those connected, you have to be brave. I felt Lisbird’s bravery while speaking with her and moving to her tunes. I left Wilde Möhre with the hunger to see Lisbird perform again, I left with an even stronger craving to dance and feel the music that Berlin has to offer. Lisbird has recently been added onto the Disco Bizarre crew, which is a collective and label in Berlin focusing on dance music and events . Lisbird’s next live gigs will exclusively be open air, so check her out when the time comes... If you are interested in experiencing a taste of Lisbird and Cara Carppacio’s music, the live Wilde Möhre set is up on SoundCloud. Get to know Lisbird through her Soundcloud.

The final weekend of February is here and Berlin is ready to say good bye to winter. This time it's getting hot at various locations around the city. Discobedient Circumstance #11 Start the party already this Friday night by getting your ass over to ://about blank. This is the first time in 2020 and the club is presenting an impressive international lineup. Ana Helder B.Traits BLACK ANTHEM RESTORE Frau Braun Golden Medusa Hara Katsiki Natascha Kann Griessmuehle im Exil - 4 Years Of Antidote Since Griessmuehle closed you better head to Alte Münze instead, who's now subletting their venue to the homeless club. This Saturday it's time to celebrate the club Antidote, who's turning four years. Ben Sims Partiboi69 Stephen Brown Adlas And more... Zuhause with Andhim, Format:B, Moonbootica, Niconé, Dapayk Solo (Live) Wonderful Ritter Butzke is hosting a birthday surprise party this Saturday with a heavy lineup topped by Andhim and Format B (B-day). Prepare for techno, prepare for house and you're all set and ready to board.

The Corona virus affects Berlin's club scene and puts an economic threat on small and medium sized venues. This is what you can expect when visiting a Berlin club in the future. Since the Corona virus is spreading in Europe, Berlin's club operators and the Clubcommission, now have decided to act. During a crisis meeting earlier this week, a catalogue of actions was created for the clubs to prevent the spread of the virus. Last weekend Kitkat Club collected the club guests e-mail addresses to make sure that anyone who's been to a specific event where a corona case is identified, will get notified. These actions will now be seen at other clubs as well. Since nightclubs are usually visited by young, healthy people, there is no immediate high health risk compared to old or past illnesses, the press release states. However, preventing the virus from spreading further is a top priority as not to further burden the healthcare. Events like "Gegen" or Trauma Bar have already decided to cancel their events or temporarily shut down the business as visitors and artists as visitors and artist from regions with high infection rates was expected to attend. If the amount of infected persons continues to grow, there is a risk of temporarily closing clubs. Even though a potential shutdown only would last a couple of weeks, this would would inevitably lead to the bankruptcy of most clubs. The Berliner Clubcommission has therefore contacted banks and crowdfunding providers, as well as the Berlin Senate, to set up a rescue fund for hardship cases. The press release that is sent out by the Berliner Clubcommisson.

Together with Dildoking we plunged into a sea of the most popular sex toys and how they work. The world is currently on pause, but our horniness is not and in reality it might even evolve in the boredom of quarantine. If you can have your work meetings online, you can also have sex meetings. To help you thought this period we caught up with Robert from Dildoking to list the most popular quarantine sex toys and to help you choose the best for you. 1. Lovense Lush 2.0 Bullet Vibrator This toy is one of the Best-Sellers. The highlight is that you can control it with an app on your smartphone. This app allows you to control it remotely. You can chat via cam or text with another person and give your partner the ability to control the toy. It's the perfect toy for long distance couples, sexy adventures or couples who are currently self-quarantining separately. 2. Lovense Max 2 Masturbator The Masturbator is very popular for men. It's also controlled through an app, but the unique aspect of this toy is that you can connect to two Max 2 Masturbator's with a Lovense Nora vibrator and the toys will react to each other's movements. 3. The GIGOLO Love Machine This is also a Best-Sellers at the Dildoking and according to Robert this is currently doubling in sales during this period. In times of social distancing, you must help yourself differently than you normally would for a fuck. This is where the Fuck-Machine is ideal to provide you with pleasure but above all there's a huge selection of toys to help you find your favourite. 4. Masturbator - Lady Incognito A simple masturbator for men that makes the normal hand job much nicer. At Dildoking this is currently selling over 900% more than average proving it is one of the most popular toys when closeness is not on the cards. This is our recommendation for all men who wants a less hands on experience and want additional pleasure during their masturbation. 5. 32 x 6 cm Massager Massage Wand 10X black The classic! We think every woman should have a Wand Massager at home. It's not only fantastic for a great orgasm but you can actually use this for a back massager for relaxation. Why do you think they are especially popular right now? "We have to practice social distancing right now, so we should avoid contact with others. That's why we need to find other ways to satisfy our needs. Especially sex toys that you can connect to apps is something that gives you great new opportunities in a social distance world. You can connect with other people or with your partner and have some fun together but without direct contact. In this way you can chat via cam or text, and your partner can be in control of your pleasure." What toys have they not yet discovered but that you’d recommend during this quarantine time? "For women we would suggest pressure wave vibrators (Druckwellenvibratoren) like Satisfyer or Womanizer, that stimulates the clitoris contactless. That's a very innovative way to reach climax." "For men we recommend trying prostate vibrators. They stimulate the Man's "G-Spot" the P-Spot (man's greatest pleasure centre). If the P-Spot is stimulated, it can provide great and intense orgasms in men."

The queer Russian Berliners celebrate Easter by releasing a new EP. On Good Friday, SADO OPERA releases a new EP "Share the Blame" to pay tribute to their favorite club and their second home - Ficken3000. The title song of the EP is a declaration of love to cruising – which Ficken 3000 is famous for. – The club was actually supposed to celebrate 22 years this month and we planned a big release party. Of course, everything is delayed and hopefully not canceled totally. Until then, we are self-isolating & listening to the EP. And recalling all those diverse "Darkroom 'n' Dancefloor" encounters at the club and all the true stories that inspired it, says Katya, of the SADO OPERA members. Listen and dream back to a time without isolation and restrictions and prepare for what is coming in the future. LISTEN: SADO OPERA – SHARE THE BLAME

The Berlin based Belgian DJ goes for bike rides on Tempelhof and he admits he kind of like the isolation that comes with the Corona Virus, at least music wise. The community has been standing still for more than a month now. How are you? "I'm good thanks.  I have moved my studio into my living room so I can keep working without making any unnecessary movements throughout the city." How do you pass the days? "I usually get up at 7.30– 8 am, have a coffee and go for a couple of laps with my bike on Tempelhofer Feld. It jumpstarts my day and forces me to actually get out of bed." What is your daily routine these days? "It's not that different from my routine before to be fair. As I said I usually go for a bike ride and after that I just start working on music. This period has been remarkably productive now that I think of it. The only danger is that I'm sitting 2 meters away from a Playstation 4 at the moment which can rope me in from time to time." Have you discovered something new about yourself by being isolated? "Life seemingly moves at a slower pace, days flow into each other with no real beginning or end. To be honest with you I kind of enjoy that aspect from it. There's no more rat race or at least that's how it feels personally for me. Music wise it has opened up new roads that I never thought I would walk What is the first thing you’re going to do in Berlin when this is all over?  "Have some drinks and dinner with a bunch of friends. I'd say that's what I miss the most at the minute, just being able to go and do whatever you like."