The English Beat was the perfect storm. Although the original lineup only played together for four short years, the band astutely blended reggae, soul, punk, and 2 tone ska traditions with contemporary pop, creating some of the grooviest and catchiest tunes of their decade. But then the storm subsided far too soon. This new release relives all of The Beat’s past cuts, serving as a fantastic collection for die-hards and newbies alike.

The Complete Beat box set contains five discs, including all three studio albums, with bonus tracks, remastered from the original tapes. Two meaty bonus discs adjoin, chock-full of unreleased material: sessions recorded with BBC legend John Peel, live tracks from a 1982 Boston gig, and 12″ and dub versions of the band’s biggest singles.

Thanks to Shout! Factory, fans now have a definitive, nostalgic anthology of “Beats” to keep this reggae-ska party pumping well into the future, and it’s worth every penny.