Hed Kandi’s Ibiza
Now in their 3rd season on the the ‘White Isle’, Hedkandi arrived in Ibiza in 2001 as supporting acts at Pacha & Eden whilst hosting their now infamous pre-parties at the fashionable Base Bar & Coastline venues in Ibiza Town & San Antonio. That year also saw the release of the popular Base Bar compilation CD, which much like the rest of Kandi catalogue, continues to be a strong seller year on year.

In 2002 the pre-parties continued at these fashionable hotspots with Hedkandi rocking the backroom at Eden, San Antonio. As if label main man Mark Doyle was not busy enough, 2002 also saw the launch of another new compilation CD, ‘Es-Vive’, a tribute to the newly opened uber-cool hotel of choice in Ibiza Town. Now, following huge club success across the UK, HedKandi have finally launched their first fully themed ‘deliciously stylish’ summer residency at El Divino in Ibiza for 2003.

HedKandi & El-Divino
From the very moment you step through the entrance of El Divino it becomes very clear why Hed Kandi have chosen this venue as home to their sell-out summer parties. El Divino is situated amongst the multi-millionaire yachts in Ibiza Town’s marina and boasts the very best views of any club on the Island. From the space of it’s wide open-air terrace, there are unopposed views across the water to the port, the Dalt Vila Fortress & Ibiza towns bustling nightlife. Inside, El Divino’s compact size [by Ibiza standards] ensures that the venue does not need infinite numbers to create a heated & buzzing atmosphere.

The weekly parties kicked off on the 28th June with resident DJ’s Matt Collins & Paul Wilkins incorporating a number of special guests, PA’s and live acts which headline throughout the season [including regular appearances by Mr Doyle himself].

Tonight’s guest is Andy Norman. As we arrive at 1am, the venue is already buzzing and things are only just beginning to warm up, thanks to the talents of residents Matt & Paul. All of the glitz & glamour of El Divino is matched perfectly with the music and the people, all effortlessly gorgeous. Bustling with house aficionados from across the globe, the décor is 100% kandi, with branded inflatables hanging from the terrace close to the waters edge and drapes of the famous kandi girls on every pillar. At 3am the party is in full swing, the club buzzing to capacity and spilling out into the open-air terrace. Inside, we have now been joined by the presence of live Kandi girls, entertaining the masses as they sashay sexily on the podiums to the throbbing Kandi groove.

Hedkandi – The Music
Being a successful ‘house-centric’ label, you may well wonder whether the music policy at their Ibizan parties accurately reflects Hedkandi’s Midas touch for quality compilations or their radio shows? Throughout the night, Andy Norman continued to rock El Divino’s dancefloor without the crowd ever starting to show any sign of waning. As the momentum of the party continued to build, the sheer quality of the music played seemed endless, showcasing new and upfront cuts whilst giving the crowd a taste of some of this & last years classics. Andy Norman really did have the entire audience in the palm of his hand as he dropped Kid Crème’s rub of Shakedown “At night”. However the tracks which really shook the house were undoubtedly Junior Jacks Ibizan anthem, “E-Samba”, Soulsearcher's “Feeling Love” and Eric Prydz “Slammin” EP3 on Credence Records.

Hedkandi – Award Winners
Hedkandi @ El Divino really is a clubbing experience at it’s very best, clearly reflected by the sophisticated crowd who were begging for more at 6am! Voted the best new club night in Ibiza 2003 by mixmag, I can only urge you to start searching for your flight to Ibiza now, as their closing parties will be an unforgettable experience. Upon arriving in Ibiza, we were furnished with a number of flyers, one of which advertised Hedkandi’s party at El Divino. The flyer invites you to ‘…a series of deliciously stylish parties in Ibiza’ and this is one event, which does exactly what it says on the tin! If the forthcoming Disco Kandi compilation [0503] is any reflection of the tracks played on El Divino’s dancefloor, then my advice to you is to get down to your local stockist to reserve your copy right now!

Disco Kandi 05.03 in stores September 15th.