Before the rest of the world knew there was something about Level 42, the British jazz-rock group built a foundation of successful material that caught on in their home country. This spring, Cherry Red's Robinsongs label will compile, with the band's input and blessing, their material for Polydor Records with the first of two CD box sets.

The Complete Polydor Years Volume 1 1980-1984, available March 26, chronicles singer/bassist Mark King, keyboardist Mike Lindup and brothers Boon Gould (on guitar) and Phil Gould (on drums) as they pivoted from instrumental fusion to danceable, skillful dance-rock in the first half of the decade. Hailing from the Isle of Wight, the group (plus in-studio keyboardist and co-writer Wally Badarou) earned critical and limited commercial acclaim with their self-titled 1981 debut and follow-up The Pursuit of Accidents a year later. (Also in 1982, a collection of early material recorded for the indie Elite Records label was purchased and issued by Polydor as The Early Tapes.)

Things really took off for the band with Standing in the Light, featuring soulful production by Verdine White and Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire. Lead single "The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)" became a Top 10 in the U.K., indicating a gradual move toward more pop-friendly material. (That era would fully coalesce in the material to be compiled for the second box set, including U.S. hits "Something About You" and "Lessons in Love.")

In addition to Level 42, The Early Tapes, The Pursuit of Accidents, Standing in the Light and 1984's True Colours, The Complete Polydor Years Volume 1 also features five discs of bonus material, some of it making its debut on CD. These discs cover the group's 7" and 12" releases, with plenty of rare B-sides and remixes, plus a handful of live rarities and other bonus tracks dug up throughout the years.

The box features liner notes and track annotations by journalist Darryl Easlea, plus rare images and memorabilia. Should it be safe to do so, the band - featuring King and Lindup plus an assortment of backing musicians, including King's brother Nathan on guitar - will embark on a tour later this year, ostensibly playing favorites from this box set and the next.

You can order the box set and check out its contents below.

The Complete Polydor Years Volume 1 1980-1984 (Robinsongs/Cherry Red ROBINBOX45 (U.K.), 2021) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1: Level 42 (Polydor POLS 1036, 1981)

1. Turn It On
2. "43"
3. Why Are You Leaving?
4. Almost There
5. Heathrow
6. Love Games
7. Dune Tune
8. Starchild

Disc 2: The Early Tapes (Polydor POLS 1064, 1982)

1. Sandstorm
2. Love Meeting Love
3. Theme to Margaret
4. Autumn (Paradise is Free)
5. Wings of Love
6. Woman
7. Mr. Pink
8. 88

Disc 3: The Pursuit of Accidents (Polydor POLD 5067, 1982)

1. Weave Your Spell
2. The Pursuit of Accidents
3. Last Chance
4. Are You Hearing (What I Hear)?
5. You Can't Blame Louis
6. Eyes Waterfalling (The Prodigy)
7. Shapeshifer
8. The Chinese Way

Disc 4: Standing in the Light (Polydor POLD 5110, 1983)

1. Micro Kid
2. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)
3. Out of Sight Out of Mind
4. Dance on Heavy Weather
5. A Pharaoh's Dream (of Endless Time)
6. Standing in the Light
7. I Want Eyes
8. People
9. The Machine Stops

Disc 5: True Colours (Polydor POLH 10, 1984)

1. The Chant Has Begun
2. Kansas City Milkman
3. Seven Days
4. Hot Water
5. A Floating Life
6. True Believers
7. My Hero
8. Kouyate
9. Hours by the Window

Disc 6: 7" Singles

* previously unreleased on CD

1. Love Meeting Love (7" Version) *
2. (Flying on the) Wings of Love (U.S. Mix - 7" Edit)
3. Love Games (7" Version)
4. Turn It On (7" Version)
5. Starchild (7" Remix)
6. Are You Hearing (What I Hear)? (7" Version)
7. Weave Your Spell (7" Remix)
8. The Chinese Way (7" Version)
9. Out of Sight Out of Mind (7" Version)
10. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (7" Version)
11. Micro Kid (7" Version)
12. Hot Water (7" Version)
13. The Chant Has Begun (7" Edit)

Disc 7: B-Sides

1. Instrumental Love
2. Forty-Two
3. Beezer One
4. Foundation and Empire (Parts 1 & 2)
5. The Return of the Handsome Rugged Man
6. Dune Tune (Live)
7. Love Games (Live)
8. 88 (Live)
9. You Can't Blame Louis (Remix - 7" Version) *
10. Can't Walk You Home (7" Version)
11. Can't Walk You Home
12. Turn It On (Live)
13. Almost There (Edited Version)

Disc 8: 12" Singles and Rarities

1. (Flying on the) Wings of Love (U.S. Mix)
2. (Flying on the) Wings of Love (Remix '81)
3. Love Games (Full-Length Version)
4. Turn It On (Full-Length Version)
5. Starchild (Remix - Long Version)
6. Are You Hearing (What I Hear)? (Extended Version)
7. Weave Your Spell (Extended Version)
8. The Chinese Way (Extended Version)
9. Out of Sight Out of Mind (Extended Version)
10. You Can't Blame Louis (Extended Remix)
11. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (Extended Version)

Disc 9: 12" Singles

1. Micro Kid (Extended Version) *
2. Micro Kid (I-Level Remix)
3. The Chinese Way (New York Remix)
4. The Chinese Way (Dub)
5. Hot Water (Mastermix)
6. Standing in the Light (Extended Version)
7. Micro Kid (Specially Remixed Version)
8. Micro Kid (Dub Version)
9. The Chant Has Begun (Power Mix)
10. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (Upfront Mix)

Disc 10: Bonus Tracks

1. Love Games (U.S. Remix)
2. Sandstorm (Live - May 1982)
3. Mr. Pink (Live - May 1982)
4. It's a Happening
5. The Chinese Way (Dub - Edit) *
6. Last Chance (Extended Version)
7. Heathrow (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
8. Turn It On (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
9. Eyes Waterfalling (The Prodigy) (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
10. The Pursuit of Accidents (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
11. Are You Hearing (What I Hear)? (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
12. Standing in the Light (7" Version)
13. Goodbye Ray Schmidt-Volk

Disc 6, Track 1 and Disc 7, Track 1 from "Love Meeting Love" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 170, 1980
Disc 6, Track 2 from  "(Flying on the) Wings of Love" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 200, 1980
Disc 6, Track 3 and Disc 7, Track 2 from "Love Games" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 234, 1981
Disc 6, Track 4 and Disc 7, Track 3 from "Turn It On" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 286, 1981
Disc 6, Track 5 from "Starchild" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 343, 1981
Disc 6, Track 6 and Disc 7, Track 5 from "Are You Hearing (What I Hear)?" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 386, 1982
Disc 6, Track 7 from "Weave Your Spell" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 500, 1982
Disc 6, Track 8 and Disc 7, Track 8 from "The Chinese Way" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 538, 1982
Disc 6, Track 9 and Disc 7, Track 9 from "Out of Sight Out of Mind" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 570, 1983
Disc 6, Track 10 and Disc 7, Track 10 from "The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 622, 1983
Disc 6, Track 11 and Disc 7, Track 12 from "Micro Kid" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 643, 1983
Disc 6, Track 12  and Disc 10, Track 12 from "Hot Water" -  Polydor U.K. single POSP 697, 1984
Disc 6, Track 13 and Disc 7, Track 13 from "The Chant Has Begun" - Polydor U.K. single POSP 710, 1984
Disc 7, Track 4 and Disc 8, Track 5 from "Starchild" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 343, 1981
Disc 7, Tracks 6-7 and Disc 8, Track 7 from "Weave Your Spell" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 500, 1982
Disc 7, Track 11 and Disc 8, Track 11 from Polydor U.K. 12" POSPX 622, 1983
Disc 8, Track 1 from "(Flying on the) Wings of Love" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 200, 1980
Disc 8, Track 2 from 1981 repress of above
Disc 8, Track 3 from "Love Games" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 234, 1981
Disc 8, Track 4 from "Turn It On" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 286, 1981
Disc 8, Track 6 from "Are You Hearing (What I Hear)?" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 386, 1982
Disc 8, Track 8 from "The Chinese Way" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 538, 1982
Disc 8, Tracks 9-10 from "Out of Sight Out of Mind" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 570, 1983
Disc 9, Tracks 1 and 3-4 from "Microkid" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 643, 1983
Disc 9, Track 2 from "Microkid" 12" promo - Polydor U.K. POSPX 643, 1983
Disc 9, Track 5 from "Hot Water" European 12" - Polydor 881 262-1, 1984
Disc 9, Track 6 from "Hot Water" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 697, 1984
Disc 9, Tracks 7-8 from "Microkid" U.S. 12" - A&M SP-12091, 1984
Disc 9, Tracks 9-10 from "The Chant Has Begun" 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPX 710, 1984
Disc 10, Track 1 from "The Chant Has Begun" limited 12" - Polydor U.K. POSPA 710, 1984
Disc 10, Tracks 2-3 and 13 from Level 42/The Early Tapes remaster - Polydor 543 879-2, 2000
Disc 10, Track 4 and 6 from The Pursuit of Accidents/Standing in the Light remaster - Polydor U.K. 543 883-2, 2000
Disc 10, Track 5 from "The Chinese Way" U.S. 12" - Polydor 811 537-1, 1983
Disc 10, Tracks 7-8 from Level 42 remaster - Polydor 9843571, 2007
Disc 10, Tracks 9-11 from The Pursuit of Accidents remaster - Polydor 9843573, 2007