By now, the story of how Jlin went from working in a steel factory in Gary,
Indiana to being
one of the most widely appreciated electronic musicians is well known. “Black
Origami”
was one of the most reviewed and lauded albums last year. Seriously prolific
and
seriously hard-working, she has toured constantly since its May 2017 release
and despite
being involved in a wide range of projects, still manages to find a balance and
“do some
personal healing and growing.”
Here we are over a year later with “Autobiography,” the score for her
collaboration with renowned British choreographer Wayne McGregor arranged by
Unsound. This isn’t technically her third album (that’s due to arrive in
2019 or 2020), but the soundtrack stands up on its own with all the emotional
peaks and troughs of a well-sequenced longplayer.
For Jlin, making music for dance is the fulfillment of one of her lifelong
dreams – and remarkably, Company Wayne McGregor’s performance was the
first show she’d ever seen. She describes the process of working with Wayne:
“We first met face to face in October 2016 in a downtown Chicago hotel,
talking for about a solid two hours. Immediately, I saw Wayne was very friendly
and energetic. He’s brilliant, witty, and knows exactly what he wants; an
absolute gem to work with. Before I even started composing for Autobiography,
Wayne told me so gently that he trusts me completely with my direction of
creating the
score. That was the best feeling in the world. I would wake up at two in the
morning and work until six in the evening until I completed all the pieces. We
were both very happy with the outcome. Creating the score for an impeccable
piece of work such as Autobiography changed my life as an artist.”
“Autobiography” is a highlight in an evolving and growing career. During the
last year, Jlin has also become an in-demand remixer, securing her place among a
roster of music heavyweights. Unsurprisingly, given her positive and outgoing
nature, she also developed friendships with the artists she has remixed such as
Björk, Max Richter and Ben Frost.
Jlin will be touring with Company Wayne McGregor performing “Autobiography”
this year in addition to completing a commission for the Kronos Quartet titled
“Little Black Book.” She still approaches every performance “with the same
attitude of doing my best to execute a good show, no more, no less. Doing my
best is what’s most important to me.” She also still lives in Gary,
Indiana, which keeps her grounded. She notes with her typical humility, “The
local community is a little more knowledgeable of me now. But I don’t mind my
community taking its time.”