This enthralling EP is the booster injection that experimental electronic dance music has been quietly waiting for since her last release in 2018.
Infusing classic sonic formations from Detroit techno and British IDM
Whilst some start the whole new year, new me regime—others (including myself) continue to divulge in the keep on, keeping on! mindset. That is partly because I do not see the calendar year as a remarkable cut-off point. This is why I feel okay to be reviewing something that came out last year—great music is timeless.
Last month saw the explosive return of Jlin with their 4-track EP Embryo, released on back catalog home turf Planet Mu. Infusing classic sonic formations from Detroit techno and British IDM into a innovative disposition that are both contemporary and evocative; this enthralling EP is the booster injection that experimental electronic dance music has been quietly waiting for.
Opening title track is a full-frontal assault from the get go—no holds barred! Saturated bass takes a contorted route as glitched out percussion fractures in it’s pursuit; like a mutant game of cat and mouse, as each one evolves the roles reverse back and forth until both are all encapsulating in this absolute outstanding revenant.
The following tracks continue to explore dimensions which is futuristic by nature. “Auto-Pilot” takes progressive steps in what would soundtrack a darker version to a Tron aesthetic—travelling on grid maps at lightening speeds, lethal crashes moments away. On “Connect The Dots,” Jlin does the hard work for you as we are swallowed down a digital diaphragm that coughs at staggering rhythms as we are effortlessly rendered through its closing time signatures. Closing with the Indiana producers’ favorite she sights, “A track I truly enjoyed making. It made me feel nostalgia yet connected me to my own evolution.” “Rabbit Hole” is the most laidback track on the EP. Perhaps the most familiar in terms of palette for fans, but distributed in this new form that the previous tracks demonstrated.
A highly energetic release that will surely be doing the rounds this year in clubs and mixes alike for time to come. With an anticipated full length album due to drop this year, this superb taster is certainly setting a ferociously superior standard!
Embryo is available on Planet Mu. [Bandcamp | Website]
