Footwork is already a genre defined by clattering, stuttering beats that sound like their barely holding it together. All Jlin did was shatter those tenuous bonds, pushing the genre even closer toward chaos with her big, brooding take on the sound in 2015’s Dark Energy.
Jlin’s last album — like the dancing that typically accompanies the music — was difficult but mesmerizing. It was all potential, sucking the listener in because the sounds were so splintered and erratic that you had no idea where they were going to go next. Luckily, we had plenty of time to catch up and fully absorb what the Gary, Indiana-based producer was putting down, because she sat out 2016.
However, it’s time to prime ourselves for more gothic stammering because Jlin is returning with two projects for 2016. She’s dropping an EP called Dark Lotus on February 10 and and a full-length called Black Origami in the summer. The EP contains two songs (“The Escape Of The Blvck Rxbbit ” and “Nyakinyua Rise”) and snippets of both are available on the website for her label Planet Mu. Take a look at the artwork up top.
For more Jlin right now, you should probably just go find a good pair of headphones and stream Dark Energy straight through. But if time is precious, watch her video for “Unknown Tongues” below.
