Hed Kandi have decided to do an about turn and destroy the industry they were initially founded upon in the latest series of compilation releases “Destroy The Disco“.

Focussing on the “Twisted” brand Hed Kandi have built up over the last few years, usually consisting of breaks, electro and techno like sounds, Destroy The Disco seems like a rebrand more than something new. Admittedly, some of the tracks featured have a distinctively different sound to Hed Kandi’s usual stereotype, it seems like they’re also jumping on this year’s attempt at reinventing disco (such as the riduculously named “Space Disco” which has been cropping up throughout the year).

It may seem like quite a critical point of view. As much as a house advocate I am, since Hed Kandi was acquired by Ministry of Sound in 2006, I’ve always been concerned the brand will suffer from being overly commercialised in a somewhat niche market.

However, I’m personally quite fond of the design of this venture. Jason Brooks (the artist behind Hed Kandi’s look) has taken inspiration from Roy Lichtenstein’s Pop Art, originally inspired by comic book artwork. This look was made popular more recently by blockbuster movies like Frank Miller’s Sin City. The grungy illustrations lend well to the deeper side of house music, representing a somewhat darker experience at the club events.

It’ll be interesting to see how successful the Destroy The Disco brand works for Hed Kandi.

Destroy The Disco is released Monday 2nd November 2009 and is available to order from the following online stores:

• Play.com: CD (£9.99) and MP3 Digital Download (£9.95)
• Amazon UK: CD (£9.98)
• HMV: CD (£10.99)

Track Listing

Disc 1

1. Gossip - Love Long Distance (Riva Starr Remix)
2. Bloc Party - One More Chance (Alex Metric Remix)
3. Example - Watch The Sun Come Up (Devil’s Gun “Zeitgeist” Remix)
4. Calvin Harris - I’m Not Alone (Burns Rewerk)
5. The Young Punx ft Count Bass D - Ready For The Fight (Black Noise 6. Destroy The Disco Edit)
6. Fake Blood - Mars (Hervé Re-edit)
7. Double 99 - Rip Groove (Disco Damage Vs Hood Hooligan 2009 Remix)
8. AC Slater - Jack Got Jacked (Jack Beats Remix)
9. The Prodigy - Take Me To The Hospital
10. Polina - Shotguns (Trevor Loveys Destroy The Disco Remix)
11. Riton & Primary 1 - Who’s There?
12. Fatboy Slim - Star 69 (Rogue Element Remix)
13. Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts (Kissy Sell Out Remix)

Disc 2

1. Yves Murasca & BK Duke ft Angie Brown - Move Your Body (Funkanomics Remix)
2. Grum - Heartbeats
3. Lauren Flax ft Sia - You’ve Changed (War Games Remix)
4. Kraak & Smaak ft Ben Westbeech - Squeeze Me (Trevor Loveys 5. Skeezer Pleezer Jam)
5. His Majesty Andre - Peep Thong
6. Louis La Roche - Sunshine Hotel
7. Fake Blood - I Think I Like It
8. Noob & Brodinski - Peanuts Club
9. Sidney Samson - Riverside (Ralvero Remix)
10. The Young Punx - Juice And Gin (Riva Starr Mix)
11. Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity Of Huge
12. Sebastian Ingrosso - Kidsos