Formed back in 2019, Moscow-based instrumental soul quintet The Diasonics — Daniel Lutsenko (guitar), Kamil Gazizov (keys), Maksim Brusov (bass), Anton Moskvin (drums) and newest member Alexander Shingaling (percussion) — quickly gained cult status through the release of a series of highly sought-after 45s through Mocambo and Funk Night Records.
Their full-length debut, 2022’s Origin of Forms was a commercial and critical success: The original vinyl printing sold outing a few weeks — and the album is now highly in-demand on the internal cinematic funk scene. Origins of Forms received critical praise from Wax Poetics, Mojo, Rolling Stone France, Clash, Uncut and others. The album was named PopMatters‘ Library Music Album of the Year and Radio France‘s Record of the Month. Adding to the band’s growing international profile, album singles received airplay from BBC Radio 2‘s Jamie Cullum, KEXP, Radio France and BBC 6 Music’s Huey Morgan, Don Letts, Cerys Matthews and Tom Ravenscroft.
The Russian outfit’s highly-anticipated sophomore album Ornithology is slated for an October 3, 2025 release through Milan-based purveyors of soul, Record Kicks. “Oriole,” Ornithology‘s first single is an effortless and mind-bending synthesis of disco, funk, kosmische musik and classic breakbeats that brings JOVM mainstays Mildlife, L’Eclair and others to mind. While arguably one of the most danceable compositions of their growing catalog, “Oriole” showcases the band’s deft musicianship and an uncanny knack for trippy, cosmic grooves.
The band describe the track as “vintage disco funk” inspired by Soviet-era disco, jazz fusion records, 1970s European library music and synth-funk.
“A minimalist synthesizer melody echoing the song of the oriole, paired with a steady disco-funk groove reminiscent of a train in motion (“Oriole” is also the name of a popular Russian electric train) lay the foundation of our most danceable track to date” the band explains. “Like a bird hovering somewhere between earth and sky, we aimed to create a sound that’s as aerial as possible, while keeping its danceability and staying within the framework of heavy disco-funk groove.”
Directed by Diana Greb, the accompanying video features the band performing the song in front of disco-styled lighting, reminiscent of the light-up dance floor in Saturday Night Fever. There are also gloriously cheesy and super fun close-ups of the band grooving to the song, and a woman dancing to the song.
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