MF Doom: Metal Fingers Presents - Special Herbs Vol. 1 & 2 (2LP, mustard yellow vinyl) [RHYMESAYERS]

Why you'll love it

Rhymesayers' 2LP set on mustard yellow vinyl, in a custom die-cut jacket with printed sleeves. Eighteen of Doom's instrumentals, each named after a herb or spice, from "Saffron" to "Myrrh."

This edition

• 2LP set on mustard yellow vinyl
• Custom die-cut jacket with printed sleeves
• Rhymesayers pressing (cat# RSE0382-1)
• Eighteen instrumentals over four sides

About the album

Before Madvillainy made him a legend, Daniel Dumile was quietly putting out beat tapes under the name Metal Fingers, and the Special Herbs series is where his producer brain is laid out bare. Every track is named after a herb, spice or flavouring, and every one is built the way Doom built everything: a dusty soul or jazz loop, a cartoon-heavy sense of humour and drums that knock just right. Many of these beats went on to carry rhymes from Doom and his friends, so plenty of them will sound strangely familiar.

Volumes 1 and 2 were the first of the series, and they set the tone. "Saffron" opens with a woozy, late-night groove, "Zatar" and "Coriander" lean into smoky jazz, "Monosodium Glutamate" is as addictive as its namesake, and "Red #40" and "Eucalyptus" show how much he could do with a single sample. It is perfect background music for cooking, studying or simply nodding your head, and a must for anyone who has ever wondered how he made it sound so easy. No recipe card included, sadly.

Tracklist

Listen

On Rhymesayers (cat# RSE0382-1), a reissue of the Metal Fingers instrumental series.