Jlin on "Black Traditions of Experimental Electronic Music"

A Zoom Conversation with performing artist Jlin. Her work is steeped in Black traditions of experimental electronic music, having been mentored by “footwork” producers DJ Rashad and RP Boo. Jlin views “footwork” music “as an African-based modern dance music that fits this era in time, and she has taken a leading role in taking this form to new aesthetic and political dimensions. Zoom registration required. Registration deadline April7. Please click her to register.

Jlin is the recording alias of Jerrilynn Patton, an electronic music producer from Gary, Indiana. Initially associated with Chicago's footwork scene, her music evolved far beyond that style, exploring unheard rhythms and placing her in a category of her own. Her debut album, 2015's Dark Energy, was filled with twisted, volatile tracks that seemed far more concerned with venting frustration, anger, and depression than providing dancefloor fodder. The album was an immediate, unexpected success, causing her to quit her job as a steel mill worker and pursue music full-time. One of the most acclaimed experimental electronic artists of the 2010s, she has shared the stage or collaborated with artists such as Björk, Ben Frost, and William Basinski. Additionally, she has ventured into contemporary dance, composing the music for Wayne McGregor's Autobiography, which premiered in 2017.

Recorded on April 8, 2021