The 12" disco mix was an early-'70s innovation in reggae music brought about by the need of a DJ to keep crowds dancing. Too often a song would only last a few minutes, so DJs began to flip records over and play the instrumental, DJ, or dub side to make the song last longer. Savvy producers began to release 12" singles with extended mixes that incorporated the dub or DJ track. The longer (five-to-six-minute) mixes kept dancers on the floor longer and also had the added benefit of better sound quality due to the bigger grooves on the 12" disc. This three-CD box compiles 35 of Trojan's best 12" singles from the early '70s through the early '80s. The artists included are both big names like Bob Marley, Gregory Isaacs, and Dennis Brown and those who are lost to time, like Dad Brown, Pat Kelly, and Edi Fitzroy. Producers like King Tubby (who works his knob-twiddling magic on Leo Graham's "Three Blind Mice"), Lee Perry (who drops his own outer-spacy "Bionic Rats"), King Jammy, Bunny Lee, and Joe Gibbs can be found behind the board. This is high-quality roots reggae music, perfect for dancing but also for listening too. Hearing the dubs and DJ versions mixed right into the songs is fascinating. Credit goes to Trojan for the nice packaging and the rock-solid track list. Fans of reggae music of any kind should check this set out. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide