From the soul, for the floor: Inside Soulidan’s expanding world
“Soulidan means “from the soul”. That’s exactly what I want my music to be - honest and felt.”
Soulidan is not a name chosen for effect. In Georgian, the word translates as “from the soul”, and for Tbilisi-born DJ, producer, and label founder Tazo Tskhakaia, that meaning is neither symbolic nor abstract. It is literal. This project was born from an internal need to translate emotion into sound, not to decorate it, not to reshape it for visibility, but to let it exist honestly. Soulidan is where feeling becomes rhythm, where personal memory dissolves into collective experience.
Music That Moves You
“Every melody, every phrase, I try to put something of myself in it. Something people can feel.” There is a particular warmth to Soulidan’s music that resists urgency. His tracks unfold patiently, built on gentle grooves, deep chords, and melodies that never hurry to reveal themselves. This is house music that understands restraint - music that trusts the listener. Intimate even in crowded spaces, it carries the quiet confidence of something deeply felt.
Breaking into the World
“Being in the Top Charts on Traxsource and Beatport - that was a big moment. For me, for Georgia”. That emotional clarity has travelled far beyond Georgia. Without relying on spectacle or overexposure, Soulidan’s releases have climbed into the Top Charts on Traxsource and Beatport, across House and Soulful House categories, placing him alongside architects of the genre such as Kerri Chandler, Masters At Work, Todd Terry, and Grant Nelson.
As a DJ, Soulidan carries the same sensibility into the booth. There is a sense of dialogue in the way he plays, an understanding that the dancefloor is not something to dominate, but something to respond to. Over the years, he has shared lineups with Louie Vega, Danny Krivit, Joe Claussell, Jeremy Underground, Fred P, Jayda G, Folamour, Dan Shake, Dam Swindle, Ultra Naté, and Jamie 3:26, absorbing and exchanging energy rather than competing for it. Though deeply rooted in Tbilisi, Soulidan’s journey has never been confined to one place. His sound has echoed through clubs and venues in Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Lyon, carrying a sense of emotional continuity wherever it lands. The cities change, but the atmosphere remains familiar. There is always an undertone of home - not as geography, but as feeling. Something grounded, quietly confident, unmistakably personal.
Sama: The Space Music Needed
“We built Sama because we saw the need - a true home for house music in Tbilisi.”
“Every part of Sama is designed so the music and people feel good - the sound, the lighting, even the interior.”
That commitment to grounding also defines Soulidan’s work beyond music. Recognising the absence of a dedicated space for house and soulful house in Tbilisi, he set out to create one. The result was Sama - named after an old Georgian word meaning “dance.” The venue was not conceived as another nightlife destination, but as a response to need. A place built to serve the music and the community around it, rather than shape them to fit a Formula. Sama moves at a different pace. It is a club designed for presence rather than performance, where people come to dance, connect, and dissolve into sound without pressure.
Every detail inside Sama reflects that philosophy. The sound system, built by Loud Professional, was designed for warmth and clarity, sound that lives in the body rather than overwhelms it. Lighting by Georgian visual artist Giorgi Mozgovoi shifts gently between intimacy and vastness, creating a sense of privacy even within a shared space. The room feels responsive, alive, in constant conversation with the music. The club’s interior design further reinforces that dialogue. Designed by Soulidan together with architect Merab Mebuke, the space blends brick, metal, and wood into an environment that feels both raw and welcoming.
Building Bridges Through Music
“Through Soulidan Records and collaborations, I want to connect Georgia with a global soulful house.”
Beyond the club and the charts, Soulidan’s broader mission is connection. Through Soulidan Records and his ongoing collaborations, he has consistently linked Georgia to the global soulful house continuum. Working with artists such as Kaidi Tatham, DJ Spen, Josh Milan, Kenny Bobien, Vick Lavender, John Beltran, Lakuti, Cinthie, Suze Ijó, and Natalie Robinson, he has helped position Georgian house music not as an outlier, but as part of an ongoing conversation built on shared values and mutual respect.
Hear the Soul
“Everything I do is about the music and the feeling. If people can hear the soul in it, that’s enough - the rest comes naturally.”
At the centre of everything is a simple philosophy: “Hear the Soul.” It is not a slogan designed to sell, but a quiet directive that guides every decision. In an era driven by speed and visibility, Soulidan operates on a longer timeline. Track by track, night by night, space by space, he is building something that does not rush to exist. Something rooted in feeling. Something meant to last.