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- Critic score
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- By date
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Jan 8, 2013It's a decent but underwhelming album, and one that inspires apathy more than adoration or disgust.
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The WireOct 3, 2012Another slapdash cash-in from masked rap's last bastion. [Sep 2012, p.60]
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Sep 17, 2012Keys to the Kuffs is nothing groundbreaking, but it certainly warrants a few thorough listens.
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UncutSep 14, 2012Damon Albarn and Portishead's Beth Gibbons drop by to provide some haunting counterpoint to DOOM's gruff verbal gymnastics. [Oct 2012, p.83]
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Sep 11, 2012Key to the Kuffs certainly finds one of underground music's true antiheros in irresistibly infectious form.
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Sep 7, 2012Decades deep into his career, Dumile hasn't lost a step lyrically. His raspy-voiced rhymes even appear to be gaining depth and complexity without sacrificing anything in flow or entertainment value. His delivery remains as fluid as ever.
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Sep 7, 2012Though Keys to the Kuffs is no magnum opus, occupying a place just a notch under Take Me To Your Leader in terms of execution, it is an important step for the veteran.
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Sep 6, 2012It's certainly a niche album, but one that will find endless replay value for those who have been following both artists.
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Q MagazineSep 6, 2012Lateral-thinking producer Jneiro Jarel builds complex but catchy soundscapes from bowel-shaking tuba loops, stuttering Casiotones and grime's muscle, as DOOM pinballs hypnotically through vivid metaphors and free-association rhymes. [Oct 2012, p.103]
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Sep 6, 2012As a psychological snapshot of DOOM's current inbetween-ness, it's certainly a fascinating listen. But, interesting as it is, it's a mite too spiritless to be considered a classic DOOM record.
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Sep 4, 2012It's a solid DOOM album to add to the catalog of previous releases.
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Sep 4, 2012The production on Key To The Kuffs, DOOM's album with Jneiro Jarel, pushes DOOM out of his comfort zone.
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MojoAug 29, 2012DOOM is in the form of his life here. [Jun 2012, p.85]
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Aug 29, 2012Whilst it is certainly unlikely that Key To The Kuffs will do much to alter prevailing opinion towards his work, the record will serve as a worthy addition to Dumile's increasingly fascinating discography.
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Aug 29, 2012when he gets it right, he's one of the best.... Let's be honest though, the hit rate isn't great.
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Aug 29, 2012Ultimately, there are only two stars [Doom and Jneiro Jarel] that matter on this terrific album.
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Aug 29, 2012Though Key hosts the padding typical of latter day Doom, the highlights bode well for Madvillainy 2.
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Aug 29, 2012In a character-defying move he has left his crowbar at home and cockney references serve as little more than a backdrop for his usual lyrical capers. What glorious capers they are too.
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Aug 29, 2012Aside from the loose DOOM-in-England motif, there's not enough of an overarching theme that Jarel's serviceable-but-indistinct production can pull together.
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Aug 29, 2012In addition to great production and invigorated rhymes, the album also sees four guest spots from the likes of Damon Albarn of Gorillaz/Blur, Beth Gibbons of Portishead, Goodie Mob's Khujo Goodie and Boston Fielder.
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Aug 29, 2012Although his political ideas may be rough hewn, Doom's latest effort stands out from some of the major releases in his discography.
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Aug 29, 2012Fans will find that Key to the Kuffs goes from confusing letdown to intriguing mystery after just a couple listens.
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Aug 29, 2012While it may not hit the heights of Madvillainy (to be fair, what could?), there are some strong verses and some equally strong production.
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Aug 29, 2012Rap paradise is paved with bad intentions and Key to the Kuffs disappoints by shying away from greatness where we've come to expect nothing less.
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Aug 29, 2012The result is excellence as usual, with DOOM rumbling along between sinister and silly while JJ slings in off-kilter operatics.
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Aug 29, 2012He's given us a lot to unpick, even if the record isn't as cohesive as it ought to be.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 5 out of 5
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Mixed: 0 out of 5
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Negative: 0 out of 5
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May 8, 2021
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Feb 16, 2016