Dark Energy is the debut album by American electronic music producer Jlin, released in 2015 by Planet Mu. It received acclaim from critics and was named the best album of 2015 by The Quietus and The Wire.

Dark Energy
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 24, 2015 (2015-03-24)
Genre
Length39:02
LabelPlanet Mu
ProducerJerrilynn Patton
Jlin chronology
Dark Energy
(2015)
Free Fall
(2015)

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.2/10[1]
Metacritic86/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
The Guardian     [4]
Juice     [5]
The List2/5[6]
Pitchfork8.5/10[7]
Resident Advisor4.1/5[8]
Tiny Mix Tapes4.5/5[9]
Vice6/10[10]

Dark Energy received universal acclaim from music critics.[2] AllMusic called it "simply one of the most compelling debut albums of 2015," describing it as "tense, thrilling, and a bit frightening."[3] The Quietus wrote that "In its breadth of ambition and stunningly realised sounds, Dark Energy delivers more than just a new twist on an established style [...] it maps out an inspiring and tantalising glimpse of electronic music's future."[11] Referring to the producer's roots in the Chicago dance style known as footwork, The Guardian wrote: "Jlin is an artist who belongs to her genre, but has an eye on where it could go next."[4] Resident Advisor stated that "Jlin has plenty to say, and she has a remarkably strong and distinctive voice with which to say it."[8]

The Quietus and The Wire both named Dark Energy the best album of 2015,[12][13] while Fact named it the year's seventh best album.[14] Pitchfork placed Dark Energy at number 40 on its year-end list of the best albums of 2015,[15] and in 2017, the site placed the album at number 35 on its list of "The 50 Best IDM Albums of All Time".[16]

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Jerrilynn Patton

No.TitleLength
1."Black Ballet"3:39
2."Unknown Tongues"3:27
3."Guantanamo"4:23
4."Erotic Heat"4:24
5."Black Diamond"2:07
6."Mansa Musa"3:38
7."Infrared (Bagua)"4:08
8."Ra"3:07
9."Expand"3:44
10."So High"3:01
11."Abnormal Restriction"3:24

Personnel edit

Credits adapted from liner notes.[17]

  • Jerrilynn Patton – composition, production
  • Fabian Harb – sleeve design
  • Holly Herndon – vocals on "Expand"
  • Spencer Shakespeare – cover photograph

References edit

  1. ^ "Dark Energy by Jlin reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Reviews for Dark Energy by Jlin". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Simpson, Paul. "Dark Energy – Jlin". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Bakare, Lanre (April 16, 2015). "Jlin: Dark Energy review – footwork star pushing the genre forward". The Guardian. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  5. ^ Gomez, Alfonso (May 8, 2015). "Jlin: Dark Energy". Juice. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  6. ^ Keane, Mark (March 19, 2015). "Jlin – Dark Energy". The List. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  7. ^ Mistry, Anupa (April 2, 2015). "Jlin: Dark Energy". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Finlayson, Angus (April 2, 2015). "Jlin – Dark Energy". Resident Advisor. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  9. ^ Reid, Reed Scott. "Jlin – Dark Energy". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  10. ^ "Jlin—'Dark Energy'". Vice (in German). March 14, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  11. ^ Gillett, Ed (March 10, 2015). "Jlin: Dark Energy". The Quietus. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  12. ^ Simpson, Paul. "Jlin – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  13. ^ "The Quietus Albums Of 2015, In Association With Norman Records". The Quietus. December 7, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  14. ^ Ravens, Chal; Wilson, Scott; Lea, Tom; Twells, John; Kelly, Chris; Bowe, Miles (December 9, 2015). "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Fact. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  15. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Pitchfork. December 16, 2015. p. 2. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "The 50 Best IDM Albums of All Time". Pitchfork. January 24, 2017. p. 2. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  17. ^ Dark Energy (liner notes). Jlin. Planet Mu. 2015. ZIQ356CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)