sKiYYa and the Dream Machine

A Shadow’s State of Mind

sKiYYa and the Dream Machine was formed in 2023 in Vienna. We are a rap act with a band. Our current project “A Shadow’s State of Mind” explores melancholy and hope within existence. It is inspired by the overcoming of personal darkness, reflecting on the darkness within our world, and rediscovering hope.

Our songs range from energetic and hard moving beats to dreamy and psychedelic sounds. Melodious dancing riffs, beautiful harmonies, subtle and soulful vocals, hooks, chants, and the chance to join in with the band make sKiYYa and the Dream Machine dynamic and engaging. Improvisation and jams find their way into our music that will make you want to move, groove, lose your shoes, sway, lay, and sit back and listen.

The songs are built up collaboratively, but are rooted in sKiYYa’s visionary sketches. Drawing inspiration from her intercultural journey as an Iranian-American and Austrian woman, enriched by a tapestry of diverse ethnicities and musical genres, the songs reflect a unique perspective on the world. We combine a blend of disparate musical genres — from psychedelic funk and rock to Middle Eastern influences, classical motifs, and hip-hop elements — to craft our distinctive fusion sound. sKiYYa’s lyricism delves into thought-provoking themes, weaving poetic narratives and abstract moods that evoke vivid imagery.

Our band is composed of a rhythm section with Jens Burkhart on the drums who brings driving rhythmic patterns, Paul Sonnleitner adds his groovy bass lines, strummed chords, and plucked melodies, and Miana Aenea, sKiYYa’s sister, adds a layer of soul with emotional saxophone interjections. Her background as a singer is also showcased as she harmonises with her sister and takes on jazzy solo parts. sKiYYa plays the keyboard, adding decorative elements, and her delivery of rap vocals ranges from familiar hip-hop styles to those resembling the recital of rhythmic poetry.

The music created for this project beats like the ebb and flow of life, each song conveying a different mood. The project is the realisation of a bigger dream, the coming together of time and space, making sense of the journey, healing through the creation of art and claiming a space to find empowerment.

Rapperin, Sängerin, Keyboardistin: sKiYYa -Saxophonistin, Sängerin: Miana AeneaSchlagzeuger: Jens BurkhartBassist: Paul Sonnleitner