Nika Machaidze
Nika Machaidze (b. 1972) is a Georgian musician, producer, composer, visual artist and filmmaker, best known for his electronic music projects Nikakoi and Erast. He is a member of Goslab artist group. 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 for different Georgian television companies, as Nikakoi released his debut album Sestrichka in 2002 on WMF Records in Berlin, followed by Shentimental next year. In 2004 Machaidze presented his new alias, Erast, and released Goodair and Minimissing EPs (second and third releases on a recently established Laboratory Instinct label). 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. In 2012, Nikakoi released a new album in Japan – Rays, a collaboration with Tokyo-based musician Coppé.
Nika Machaidze created music videos for different Georgian artists such as Natalie Beridze, Gogi Dzodzuashvili, Neon Warrior, sTia etc.
Nika Machaidze composed soundtracks for Archil Kavtaradze, Salome Machaidze, Zaza Rusadze and other Georgian movie directors. He is also author of music and video projections for several theatrical plays, such as The Park by Botho Strauß directed by David Sakvarelidze, “Kakutsa Cholokashvili”, “navigator”, “unnamed star”, “Hamlet” directed by Levan Tsuladze etc.