Disappointment from Hed Kandi
Artie | 02/07/2010
(1 out of 5 stars)
"In the world of trance/dance/techno, Hed Kandi has become one of my favorite labels. So much of their music transcends the all too often programmed repetitive bass lines/drum beats of this genre. Hed Kandi is known for tracks that often remind you of 60's style Motown, with clearly defined melody's and upbeat vocals. They're actually "songs", rather than just creative synth programming. Unfortunately, with this CD, Hed Kandi has figured out what everyone else is doing wrong . . . and copied it. With no less than 45 songs, you'ld expect not to love every one. But you'ld also hope for a dozen or so "gems". Not so here. Granted, the tracks start off strong, with "When Love Takes Over", featuring Kelly Rowland. (Put this song on "repeat" for 45 times, and you'll have a better listening experience than enduring the entire CD.) The next four tracks are "ok", but then it goes downhill from there. WAY downhill. The single flower in the remaining field of cow-pies is Armend Van Helden's "The Funk Phenomena". Funky music as it should be. Whats worse, is that there are a couple of tracks that may anger you. (They did me.) First, is "Fade", featuring Kimblee. This is one of my favorite songs. Great melody, nice "hook" on the chorus, and killer vocals. All of that is gone here. I assume they sent a couple of pimply-faced 5th graders into a music store, where one of them set a synth to repeat three notes, and the other set a drum machine to repeat five beats. Oh yeah, then the obligatory 3-second sample of Kimblee saying "Fade" so they could call it a "remix". The word should be stricken from the dictionary purely on the basis of this abomination. I'd rather hear "Classical Gas" played on kazoo. Then they did it again with "You're Not Alone". Another great song, destroyed by the same puss-faced kids, running rampant in the synth store. What I can't figure out is, when they did the test run of this CD at a party, and everyone kept asking if they had any KC & the Sunshine band, or Village People, didn't they get the hint that this compilation sucked? It is only on the strength of everything Hed Kandi has done before, that I don't right them off completely. I can only hope that the HK producers get back from vacation, and kick the mail-room boys out of the studio, before they produce any more of this fodder."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1