Embryo (EP)

Embryo
EP by
Jlin
ReleasedDecember 10, 2021 (2021-12-10)
Length14:20
LabelPlanet Mu
ProducerJlin
Jlin chronology
Autobiography
(2018)		 Embryo
(2021)		 Perspective
(2023)

Embryo is an EP by American record producer Jerrilynn Patton under the pseudonym Jlin. It was released on December 10, 2021, through Planet Mu.

Background

Jerrilynn Patton, also known under the pseudonym Jlin, is an American record producer from Gary, Indiana. Embryo consists of four tracks: "Embryo", "Auto Pilot", "Connect the Dots", and "Rabbit Hole". The EP was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. She stated, "I wrote all these pieces in between commissions and trying to stay afloat mentally." The EP's title track was originally written for the Chicago-based ensemble Third Coast Percussion.

Release

Embryo was released on December 10, 2021, through Planet Mu. Embryo's four tracks are included in the CD edition of Jlin's 2023 mini-album, Perspective.

Third Coast Percussion's rendition of the composition "Embryo" is included in the group's 2022 album, Perspectives.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star
Crack7/10
Pitchfork7.4/10
Spectrum Culture70%

Adam Quarshie of Crack wrote, "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." He added, "The EP as a whole has a grainier, less polished texture than some of her previous work." Jayson Greene of Pitchfork stated, "It's fun to listen to her toying with corroded sounds, degraded outputs: Jlin's never sounded quite this grimy before." Paul Simpson of AllMusic commented that "All four tracks are brief and concise, and as its title indicates, Embryo marks the start of something new."

Accolades

Year-end lists for "Embryo"
Publication List Rank Ref.
Pitchfork The 100 Best Songs of 2021
23
The Quietus Quietus Tracks of the Year 2021
14

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jlin.

Embryo track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Embryo"3:53
2."Auto Pilot"3:42
3."Connect the Dots"3:21
4."Rabbit Hole"3:22
Total length:14:20

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

References

  1. ↑ Simpson, Paul. "Jlin". AllMusic. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  2. ↑ Strauss, Matthew (October 19, 2021). "Jlin Announces New EP, Shares New Song "Embryo": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  3. ↑ Harrell, Phil (December 9, 2021). "'I don't think about the dance floor': Jlin's complicated rhythms". NPR. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  4. ↑ Slingerland, Calum (October 19, 2021). "Jlin Returns with New EP 'Embryo,' Shares Title Track". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  5. ↑ Eede, Christian (October 19, 2021). "Jlin Reveals New EP For Planet Mu, 'Embryo'". The Quietus. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  6. ↑ Guttridge-Hewitt, Martin (October 20, 2021). "Jlin announces new EP, 'Embryo', on Planet Mu". DJ Mag. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Embryo". Planet Mu. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  8. ↑ LeJarde, Arielle Lana (July 11, 2023). "Jlin announces mini-album Perspective with "Fourth Perspective"". The Fader. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  9. ↑ Montoro, Philip (May 9, 2022). "Third Coast Percussion rebuild Jlin's experimental footwork by hand". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Simpson, Paul. "Embryo - Jlin". AllMusic. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 Quarshie, Adam (January 12, 2022). "Jlin: 'Embryo' review". Crack. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Greene, Jayson (December 10, 2021). "Jlin: Embryo EP". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  13. ↑ Stremfel, Thomas (December 6, 2021). "Jlin: Embryo". Spectrum Culture. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  14. ↑ "The 100 Best Songs of 2021". Pitchfork. December 6, 2021. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Quietus Tracks Of The Year 2021". The Quietus. December 17, 2021. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Embryo | Jlin". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on September 23, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  17. ↑ Jlin (2021). Embryo (vinyl liner notes). Planet Mu.

Further reading