Tbilisi Underground

In this episode, Jamz explores the underground music scene of Tbilisi, tracing how a generation of artists, DJs, and collectives has transformed Georgia’s capital into one of the most vital and politically charged club cultures in the world.

We journey beneath the stands of the national football stadium to Bassiani, the club that became a global symbol of freedom, community, and resistance — and into the intimate studios of Mutant Radio, where a new generation is redefining what underground means today.

Featuring voices from across the scene, the episode hears from Newa, one of Tbilisi’s most influential DJs and producers, who reflects on her journey from Georgia’s early electronic movement to the global stage, and on the enduring link between music, identity, and resistance. Zurkin, a selector, record store owner and Mutant Radio resident, provides a window into the city’s more eclectic, experimental side and vinyl culture.

We also hear from co-founder of Bassiani, Naja Orashvili, and co-founder of Hydrash and Wings of Desire — the queer party series at Bassiani, Giorgi Kikonishvili, who recount the club’s beginnings, its vision of inclusivity, and the 2018 police raids that transformed Tbilisi’s dancefloors into spaces of protest and solidarity. Finally, Mutant Radio founder Tata reflects on how radio culture has fostered connection, creativity, and education, keeping the city’s spirit alive even amid turbulence and change.

This is Global Sounds: Tbilisi Underground.