June: 18 albums you need to hear this month

Jlin 'Black Origami' (Planet Mu)

Jlin is originally from Gary, Indiana, but has been closely connected to Chicago’s footwork scene for some time. From the beginning, her sound has been super-refined, taking the 150-160bpm scamper aimed at battling dancers and taking it way beyond its laptop roots. On her second album, ‘Black Origami’, she takes another dramatic step forward. These tracks positively glitter with studio technique, and take in all kinds of other percussive sounds – Middle Eastern, Brazilian, African, military marching bands – in her patent three-to-the-bar rhythms. It’s a dizzying ride of clattering and twisting sound that never sits still for a second, and makes no sense if you don’t have serious bass response on your speakers. Sometimes the constant shifts can leave you reeling and wondering what Jlin is trying to get at, but it’s never long before they pick you up again and pull you back into it. This is the sound of a huge talent blossoming. Joe Muggs

8/10