Nika Machaidze

Nika Machaidze (b. 1972) is a Georgian musician, producer, composer, and filmmaker, best known for his electronic music projects Nikakoi and Erast. He is a member of Goslab artist group and a cousin of the artist and filmmaker Salome Machaidze. Born in a family of well-known Georgian cinematographers, Nika Machaidze studied at the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University in Tbilisi, graduating in animation (1992) and film direction (1997). From 1991 to 2000, he worked as an author, director, composer and film editor for the state Georgian television, as well as Rustavi 2 broadcasting company. Machaidze started making electronic music in the mid-nineties, combining digital noises and IDM rhythms with melancholic melodies (often inspired by Georgian folk music). In 1999, Nika won Grand Prix at the Electronic Music Festival in Paris, where he appeared under a new artistic pseudonym 'Nikakoi' (as suggested by a friend Thea Djordjadze. In Russian, Никакой means “none”, “undefined”, “featureless”). Nikakoi released his debut album Sestrichka in 2002 on WMF Records in Berlin, followed by Shentimental next year. In 2004, Machaidze presented his new alter ego, Erast, and released Goodair and Minimissing EPs (second and third releases on a recently established Laboratory Instinct label). Erast is a reference to Erast Fandorin, a main character of a critically acclaimed book series by Boris Akunin. Nika released Cyberpunk, a debut full-length album by Erast, in 2006. In 2009, Nikakoi returned with two releases on Laboratory Instinct: 2xCD compilation Selected (best tracks from both albums plus unreleased material), and a new double ambient album Requiem For Deranged Robot. This work marked a significant shift in Nikakoi's artistic style and consisted of two rhythmless ambient tracks and a collection of sublime piano-based electronic soundscapes on the second disc. In 2012, Nikakoi released a new album in Japan – Rays, a collaboration with Tokyo-based musician Coppé. His most recent work, Raise Your Head And Smell The Air EP, was released on Transfigured Time in 2016. Nika Machaidze composed soundtracks for Archil Kavtaradze, Salome Machaidze, Zaza Rusadze and other notable Georgian movie directors. He also wrote music for several theatrical plays, such as The Park by Botho Strauß. Machaidze is closely tied and had been collaborating extensively with Natalie Beridze (also known as TBA (2) and Tusia Beridze) and George Dzodzuashvili (Post Industrial Boys).