Though producer Jerrilynn Patton – better known as Jlin – hails from Gary, Indiana, near Chicago, her new EP Embryo owes more to the musical legacy of that other great Midwestern metropolis. The squelchy bass lines and breathless kick drums here are borrowed from classic Detroit techno, but rather than being a nostalgic record, these elements have been allowed to morph into something else – a frantic and menacing hybrid.

It’s a notable detour from her signature brand of twisted and abstract footwork, yet the imprints of her production style remain. Third track Connect the Dots sits in more familiar Jlin territory, with sudden rhythmic changes and complex percussive glitches rattling in the background. Project closer Rabbit Hole delves into weirder realms; an almost jarring assault of bleeps and beats that feels like it might have been composed after an entire night spent playing computer games.

The EP as a whole has a grainier, less polished texture than some of her previous work. Patton’s focus was on keeping herself moving creatively while in between larger projects, in order to avoid the stagnation of lockdown. Given the brevity of the record, listening to it feels a bit like dunking your head in a bucket of freezing water, only to emerge gasping for breath seconds later. Hopefully it’s a taster of even more challenging work to come.

Adam Quarshie