Jerrilynn Patton grew up and still lives in Gary, Indiana, a Chicago suburb known for its musical history — it gave rise, among other things, to The Jackson 5. She was first was exposed to music through her parents’ love for artists such as Sade and Rachelle Ferrell. Her breakout track “Erotic Heat” garnered attention after its release in Planet Mu’s Bangs and Works Vol. 1 compilations, and was later used in a Rick Owens fashion show. The track establishes what’s now known as her signature sound: dark, twisted percussion that has “turned footwork inside out” (Resident Advisor). “Erotic Heat” marks a milestone in her musical development and it cemented her move away from sampling and towards the honing of an original sound in a scene that has been primarily male-dominated.

2017’s Black Origami features collaborations with a range of artists, from ambient pioneer William Basinski to the ever-enthralling Holly Herndon, who also appears at CTM this year. The album builds off of Jlin’s understanding of spirituality and movement, and is inspired largely by her ongoing collaborations with Indian dancer Avril Stormy Unger. The track “Carbon 7 (161)” was also influenced by the way that Unger moves, and was accompanied by a beautifully unsettling video choreographed and performed by dancer Corey Scott-Gilbert. Halcyon Veil’s Fawkes and Cape Town rapper Dope Saint Jude also make appearances on the record. Since this release, Jlin has toured the US and Europe and remixed Ben Frost. She also scored the soundtrack to Autobiography, an piece by London Royal Ballet resident choreographer Wayne McGregor that opened at London’s Sadler’s Wells in October 2017.