Left: Natalie Beridze and Nika Machaidze.
Photos: Jan Chudozilov
The Attic magazine has published Jan Chudozilov’s overview of the history of electronic music in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Starting with the earliest stages and challenges of the emerging scene, the article introduces important figures from different eras of music in Georgia. Included are short quotes and discussions with important musicians, and photos by the author taken over the past five years.
The narrative culminates with the history of an important new re-release by CES records, original recordings from musical pioneer Natela Svanidze, now considered one of the first electronic musicians in the country. She was one of three composers who in the '70s and '80s experimented with electronic music. Natela Svanidze composed her work “Georgian Lamentations” for acoustic instruments, voices, and tape around 1974. During a stay in Moscow she composed the six and half minute long part for tape on an EMS Synthi 100, imported from England. Her work has re-entered the public’s attention and finally garnered recognition thanks to the LP released by CES Records this past summer. Side A features part five of her “Georgian Lamentations” composition in two versions: one version is a live recording, the other one is the isolated electronic part itself. On side B, three Georgian producers HVL, Tamo Nasidze, and mess_montage re-imagine her recordings.
Read more at over on The Attic.
