Skyla Vertex - Urwerk

The name 'Skyla Vertex' will elude most of you. The more astute will recognise it from a remix of 'Dirty Cash' by 'Reaper'.
This German duo are :
- Greg - Production, Songwriting, Machines, Vocals
- Alex - Main Vocals, Lyrics, Artwork

I'm not sure what's happened between then and now, but Skyla Vertex have just been unveiled as one of the newest signings on Infacted Recordings . 'Urwerk' is officially released on 20th April.

Before I touch anything, I'm having a peruse at the booklet that has been kindly enclosed by Greg, and I've fallen head over heels with this - the flaming, burning theme is a sharp contrast to the usual black and grey, and the 'burning clock' disc cover, the baroque influenced imagery, and the pictures that accompany each lyric page are astonishing. Quite possibly one of my favourite booklets of all time - and if I didn't mention the album cover, I don't 'need' to - just take a look. For a debut, this act is so confident and self-aware - truly refreshing.

'Urwerk' starts with 'Somnia' - which in turn starts with a ticking sound, and works its way from the typically slower paced Dark Electro tune to one that entertains a beautiful piano melody throughout. The ticking effect is used to seperate each section of the song. On further analysis, the title 'Urwerk' seems to refer to a German Time-Machine concept, which reinforces my theories about the concept of this album.
Couldn't really ask for more from an opener, could we?

'Strom und Drang' conveys a newer approach to Dark Electro, sounding almost like a slower Phosgore, with bizarre moments that remind one of an electric shock, further obeying the song title. At 2:08 the song completely changes, and becomes much more melodic and danceable - the transition from A to B is not unlike the transition from Electricity to Water, and I'm already listening to something more novel and addictive than a bastard combination of Football, Video Games, and Cider.

It's actually difficult to put this to words - the band use lyrics that are written in both German and English, the imagery is at foundation-marking standard, and the beats are intense enough to make the heart on the cd cover break out of it's cage and shuffle to the nearest set of strobe lights.

On the other hands, there's tracks where you can be forgiven for thinking you've heard it all before - just as you hear something that loses its originality, a handful of new 'classics' embrace you like a snake, and there's a hold on this album that is profoundely difficult to shake off.

'Sinnkrieg' is one of the best candidates to encapture the above - it could be Straftanz, it could be Tumor, but there's the tangible approach to the genre that Skyla Vertex have taken that isolates them from many of their rivals.

For those of you who dislike all German lyrics and titles, there's a change straight after 'Sinnkrieg' with 'Face It'. Marking it's change with more than just language, this track kicks off slowly with a gorgeous Piano and some backing ambience, the first sample of the CD, which is immediately met with the aggression that the band have threatened since the 'word 'go'.

"Fly High Snake, on the Eagle's back - I am awake, Wait for seals to crack..." - if you're denying the originality of Skyla Vertex at this point, then you may as well leave this page, as you're lost to the aeons with this act.

The 'Urwerk' trio of tracks that succeed 'Face It' (each with a suffix - 'Funke', 'Feuer', 'Asche) just bring this album to an early pinnacle, and there's stories as old as time that are being told here. There's 13 original tracks - my mind is blown to the point where the only ones I can even bring to attention at this stage are 'Schall Und Rauch' and 'The Buying Dead'.

Following those are three remixes, performed by Peter Spilles ('Project Pitchfork', 'Imatem', 'Santa Hates You'), 'Orange Sector', and the hugely popular 'Nachtmahr' - an artist so well known and endeared that most upcoming acts are truly grateful to Thomas for his work on their album.

All three remixes do a great job of changing the entire being of this album to one more akin to their own little quirks and styles, and it's all fused together with perfection.

There's something here that's beyond unique, and definately special. It may struggle to reach all of the intended audience, as it's quite ahead of itself in many ways, but for those who get this CD, it's going to be one of the albums of 2012. Apr 11 2012