Released: 31/03/23
Speaking of MF Doom (AKA Daniel Dumile), the re-release of the late, great hip-hop savant’s 1999 classic debut Operation: Doomsday is thankfully nearly upon us. Twenty-five years on, the LP, one of the most influential rap records of all time, still sounds as innovative as ever.
Made in the wake of the personal tragedy of his brother and KMD partner Dingilizwe Dumile (AKA DJ Subroc) passing away in 1993, Operation: Doomsday is raw in both lyrical content and production, its lo-fi feel augmented by Metal Face’s decision to retain the flaws and happy accidents that occurred during recording. It is also feels, at times, in taking in everything from cartoon theme songs to 80s soul, like a deeply nostalgic record – but only in the hands of a master such as Dumile could such looking back be employed to create something so astoundingly fresh and beautifully surreal.