MF Doom - Metal Fingers Presents: Special Herbs Vol 9 & 0

Released under his Metal Fingers alias, this ongoing instrumental series from New York-born MF DOOM remains one of the most ambitious beat tapes in hip-hop. Special Herbs showcases his sample alchemy in full bloom-reworking 70s soul, 80s r&b, kids' records and TV jingles into slanted, oddly hypnotic loops.

While some beats later appeared on his vocal records, or were lent to peers like Ghostface Killah, many here are standalone inventions: mysterious, funny, and full of dust. Tracks like 'Galangal Root', 'Hyssop', or 'Bergamot' (each one named after a plant or herb) remind us that DOOM never needed a verse to hold your ear. He was a producer's producer, and this series cements him as one of the greats.