After a string of great advance singles like “Nyakinyua Rise” and “Challenge (To Be Continued),” Jlin‘s much anticipated second album Black Origami arrives via Planet Mu May 19. One week ahead of the official release, NPR First Listen is now streaming the record in its entirety.
Dark Energy, Jlin’s 2015 debut, established her as a singular producer by drilling into the twisted rhythms of Chicago footwork, intensifying that genre’s ability to shake and disorient listeners until it began to look like something else entirely. On Black Origami, Jlin continues to pursue that impulse, arriving on the other side of footwork with a dense and intricate percussive sound that’s wholly her own. The drums start beating at about 20 seconds into the album and they barely let up for the next 45 minutes, creating a storm of snares, kicks, and shakers that’s among the most immersive listening experiences you’re likely to have this year. Hear it below via NPR.
