Hed Kandi: Disco Heaven, Vol. 1

Aimed at the older and reflective dance music market, the Hed Kandi label survived by explicitly stating its intentions upfront. And yet there was something missing from the package. Whether it was the uninspired choices (Julie McKnight, the Lab Rats, Indigo, Jamiroquai), the fact that nothing was mixed, or how the long stare toward Stardust diva disco gradually wore down listeners' energy, Hed Kandi: Disco Heaven was shamelessly middle of the road and projected a sort of artificial affinity for old, sleepily resurrected dancefloor ideas. Other than Full Intention's enchanting "Stars," this was safe, stale, and frustratingly reliable, the disco/house/dance compilation equivalent of post-Oasis garage rock.