On her 2015 debut LP, Dark Energy, Jerrilynn Patton (aka Jlin) laid down 11 tracks that managed to take the dense and percussive sounds of Chicago footwork into territories never before explored. On Black Origami, her followup, Jlin focuses more on her own craft than the genre as a whole.
Although percussion is still Jlin's main songwriting tool, as melodies, rhythms and samples are all cut apart to serve the beat, the Gary, IN musician broadens the scope of these 12 tracks to create an album beaming with ambition and one-of-a-kind vision. After working with Tennessee experimentalist Holly Herndon on her debut, Jlin brings her back for the bouncy track "1%." She also works with William Basinski, Dope Saint Jude and Halcyon Veil's Fawkes to help give each track on Black Origami its own distinct personality.
But Jlin understands what captures the listener's fancy on her own: "Enigma" cuts up unintelligible samples to create a dense, rhythmic soundscape, "Holy Child" comes off dreamy and much more complex through repeat listeners and "Hatshepsut" uses simple marching drums to drive the song.
To say Black Origami is an album that grows on you with each listen is correct, but undermines the energy you feel upon the album's first listen. It's earthy and futuristic, complex and linear, dance-y and a total mind-fuck. It's exactly what you'd expect from Jlin, but it's a total — and pleasant — surprise, too.
(Planet Mu)Although percussion is still Jlin's main songwriting tool, as melodies, rhythms and samples are all cut apart to serve the beat, the Gary, IN musician broadens the scope of these 12 tracks to create an album beaming with ambition and one-of-a-kind vision. After working with Tennessee experimentalist Holly Herndon on her debut, Jlin brings her back for the bouncy track "1%." She also works with William Basinski, Dope Saint Jude and Halcyon Veil's Fawkes to help give each track on Black Origami its own distinct personality.
But Jlin understands what captures the listener's fancy on her own: "Enigma" cuts up unintelligible samples to create a dense, rhythmic soundscape, "Holy Child" comes off dreamy and much more complex through repeat listeners and "Hatshepsut" uses simple marching drums to drive the song.
To say Black Origami is an album that grows on you with each listen is correct, but undermines the energy you feel upon the album's first listen. It's earthy and futuristic, complex and linear, dance-y and a total mind-fuck. It's exactly what you'd expect from Jlin, but it's a total — and pleasant — surprise, too.
