A four-disc boxed set from the label, this bundles 's first seven (of ten) albums and adds a half-dozen mostly contemporaneous 12" and 7" mixes. Several anthologies have attempted to tell the New York band's story with one or two discs. This is by far the closest their catalog has gotten to comprehensive treatment despite stopping short of the 1986-1992 material recorded for and . Assembled and produced by low-profile funk legend ( , ), smoothly navigated the transition from latter-day disco to the post-disco era with funk and pop appeal always in the mix. Their sound was just as much defined by the sweet and seductive vocals of sisters , and , and the full-throated growls of , also the band's co-producer. Although they didn't make a certifiable classic album, reached gold status with 1981's , featuring the man-stealing anthem "Call Me" (a number one R&B hit that also went Top 40 pop), the free-spirited "Let's Celebrate," and the -level ballad "When You Touch Me." Almost all of the other LPs were good for one or two indispensable singles like the sultry "First Time Around" and grade-A boogie gems such as "High," "Here's to You," and "Show Me the Way." The bonus track that most warrants repeat play is easily the remix of "First Time Around," essentially a demonstration record for the Syndrum, what with its laser sound effect-like zaps ricocheting all across the track. Thorough liner notes trace and contextualize the band's history with sourced quotes from and the Dunnings. ~ Andy Kellman