In the early 1980s, many bands began borrowing styles initially made popular in other regions of the world, spicing their own sound up with exotic textures and foreign rhythms. Few groups perfected the mix-and-match hybrid with more everlasting appeal and contagious melodicism than The Beat (known as The English Beat in the US), a multi-cultural ensemble whose Special Beat Service dominated the charts, scored with the critics, and captivated listeners.

Blending jazzy saxophones, pop hooks, calypso accents, firm beats, jangly guitars, and scores of other creative devices, the 1982 set has always been ripe for sonic restoration. Mastered on Mobile Fidelity’s world-renowned mastering system and pressed at RTI (the best record plant in North America), Silver Label numbered limited edition LP brings the music’s colorful flair and cross-continental vibes to the fore, eliminating the haze and artificial ceilings that flaw previous pressings. The Caribbean flavors, dub pulses, and irresistible refrains now jump with palpable energy and feet-tapping verve. You’ll be addicted as soon as the needle drops into the first grooves of the record.

A feel-good set from start to finish, Special Beat Service bows down to the power of great pop. But within this framework, The Beat weaves in brilliant threads of music plucked from Jamaica (reggae and dub), its native England (new wave and Merseybeat), and the United States (post-punk and Motown). While many recognize them as Two-Tone ska revivalists, the group’s arrangements reach far beyond any label, a breadth immediately recognized on multifaceted tracks such as “Sugar & Stress,” “Ackee 123,” and “Sole Salvation.”

In particular, the band’s “Save It For Later” became an anthem that is still heard today. A precursor to the influential Britpop sound that followed nearly a decade later, the hit rides on a flexible bass line, sly sexual lyrics, and rolling guitar-driven lines that even the Beatles would envy. Years ago, Pearl Jam resurrected the classic by tacking it onto the end of its “Betterman” in concert, and to this day, it remains a live favorite. You need to experience the original in the highest-possible fidelity.

No mere revivalists or retro-minded purveyors, The Beat created a true 80s pop masterpiece with Special Beat Service. Mobile Fidelity Silver Series’ LP presents the songs as they were meant to be heard, and will have you dancing in no time. If you’re a fan of the Police, Madness, The Specials, The Clash, The Jam, or the Wailers, you need this LP.