YANAMASTE

Yanamaste, born Irakli Danelia, combines intricate melodies with raw, layered soundscapes in his techno. The DJ and producer, who grew up in Batumi, particularly enjoys shaping his sound on modular synthesizers, designing their sounds himself.

Music was part of his life from an early age: he began playing piano at six, later adding guitar, various drums and traditional Georgian instruments. Eight years in the Georgian National Dance Ensemble also shaped his connection to folk music before the club world led him to techno as a teenager. At 16, he began dedicating himself more intensively to production; soon afterwards, he was playing in Tbilisi’s clubs and became a resident at KHIDI in 2017.

His first release, “Cirk” on INNSIGNN in 2018, was followed by the “Bipolar Mood” EP on Berlin label Lyree in 2021. His music has also taken him to international stages, including Stone Techno Festival in 2024. For the “Evil” EP, he drew on tracks from his live shows, allowing the energy of the stage to flow directly into the release.

His sets pair long melodic arcs with driving percussion and sounds that continually take on new forms through his work with the modular system. Anyone seeing Yanamaste live can look forward to techno that does not hide its roots in Georgian rhythms while remaining open to sonic experimentation.