Level 42 - Collected [2LP Holland Import]

Collected gathers the best of Level 42 across two LPs, charting the British band's rise from jazz-funk upstarts to polished pop hitmakers. This Holland import spans their singles from the early 1980s into the 1990s.

Few groups have ever been built so completely around a bass guitar. Mark King's lightning-fast slap technique and easygoing lead vocals gave Level 42 their signature, while Mike Lindup's keyboards and soaring falsetto, plus the Gould brothers on guitar and drums, added sophistication and swing. Emerging from the Britfunk scene, they gradually smoothed their sound into radio-ready pop without losing that elastic groove.

The early material still crackles, with "Love Games" showing off the tight jazz-funk muscle that first made their name. "The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)" captures the moment they crossed over, all sunny harmonies and nimble rhythm. Then come the mid-decade peaks: "Something About You" pairs a wistful melody with crisp production, and "Lessons in Love" became their signature smash, a sleek blend of shimmering synths and slap-bass bounce.

Sequenced across four sides, this set flows like a greatest-hits party, with the big singles and a handful of deeper cuts in one place. It is a reminder that sophisticated pop and serious musicianship once went hand in hand at the very top of the charts.