Two years ago, JLin released her debut album Dark Energy while working at a steel mill in Gary, Indiana, the same home as the Jackson 5 and Freddie Gibbs. Now in preparation of her Black Origami album, due out on May 19, she’s shared “Challenge (To Be Continued),” a riff on HBCU’s bombastic “Fifth Quarter” halftime performances and Chicago’s signature footwork roots.
Building from a evolving stance of percussion derived from African and Indian traditions, “Challenge (To Be Continued)” swells after a moment of brief distortion where every snare and symbol take on importance. There is no wasted space or motion with JLin’s creativity here. It all centers on a sound that can’t be readily duplicated.
“Very happy,” JLin told The FADER about her feelings about Black Origami. “I feel very complete, because [on] this one every track is my baby. Even the collaboration tracks. And what I mean by that is, I nurtured those tracks like they were my kids. Not saying that I didn’t do it for Dark Energy, but Dark Energy happened to be [when] I was immature. I think with this album, you can hear not only the contrast between Dark Energy and Black Origami, but you can also hear the growth as well.”
Pre-order Black Origami here and listen to “Challenge (To Be Continued)” below.
