Ask anyone what their favourite album is, and chances are they won’t give you a debut— for any artist, releasing an initial LP is a leap of faith, and most debut records are appreciated more in hindsight as a result. It’s always exciting, then, to see an artist get it right on the first try. The first full-length album from UK goth-pop outfit Heartworms, entitled ‘Glutton For Punishment,’ isn’t necessarily a flawless record, in fairness, but the potential is palpable throughout, suggesting that Jojo Orme may well be one to watch in future. It also doesn’t hurt that, despite some minor shortcomings, the album is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

From its title and cover art, ‘Glutton For Punishment’ promises something dark, and Orme is loath to disappoint. ‘In The Beginning’ thrusts the listener into a mysterious, twisted soundscape from the off, with its ominous blowing wind and rumbling drones setting the stage for a highly unsettling experience— a certain gothic aesthetic runs throughout the entire record, giving each track heaps of character and charm. ‘Just To Ask A Dance,’ groovy as it is, is permeated by a repeated synth melody just dissonant enough to be enticing, while single ‘Jacked’ sees its drums compressed to cut through the mix: indeed, the entire album is unafraid of abrasion, using it sparingly and tastefully to add to the claustrophobia of it all. ‘Celebrate’ represents the climax of this idea, with its howling guitars and Phantom Of The Opera-esque high notes burying the listener, though no song fully escapes the suffocating grip of unease that ‘Glutton For Punishment’ bathes itself in.

None of this would be possible without the record’s characterful production from Dan Carey, which is, in a word, excellent. There’s a shocking number of contrasting layers packed together within each track— take ‘Mad Catch,’ for instance, which sees both programmed and performed drums alongside eery bass lines and cheeky guitar leads, all sitting together shoulder-to-shoulder in a shockingly cohesive manner. No matter what Orme throws in, no inclusion ever feels too jarring or left-field: rather, the door is left open for even more experimentation in the future, as time will tell whether this debut record is merely testing the waters. Regardless, ‘Glutton For Punishment’ is sure to give you shivers, whether from wonder or unease.

The real charm of Heartworms’ sound, however, is not in its darkness, but in its accessibility— for all its drones and ominous soundscapes, the relative success of these songs is no mystery. ‘Jacked’ is a prime example, with its almost cartoonish guitar melodies and hypnotic refrains of "and this nothing turns black” acting as a surefire ear-worm for any would-be fans. ‘Glutton For Punishment’ balances eeriness and impact on a knife edge for the length of its runtime, favouring one or the other at times but never losing sight of either. ‘Warplane,’ with its lyric-less chorus and extended organ outro, would seem doomed to obscurity, but the song nonetheless has all the infectious melodies and dance-centric beats of a prime alternative pop hit— in this way, the album is as inviting as it is off-putting, and the combination is electrifying in every aspect.

Even Orme’s lyrics indulge in this duality, as the storytelling present throughout the record maintains its darkness without becoming overbearing. ‘Just To Ask A Dance’ is, for the most part, a romantic (if heartbreaking) tune, featuring such classic lines as “I want to run away with you” and “we met eyes, then you were mine.” The track is nonetheless haunted by more unsettling imagery though— “fished learned to walk, now they know how to say hello” is an obviously absurd example, while “when you die, I’ll die, a mutual sigh” hints toward morbidity— that keeps the gothic nature of the album in mind. As the record progresses, darker themes begin to present themselves, such as the story of a dead Spitfire pilot told throughout ‘Warplane’ or the chilling motif of “I don’t wish murder ‘cause I got no right” from ‘Extraordinary Wings’— when combined with Orme’s unique vocal delivery, sitting somewhere between the offerings of Charli xcx and Japanese Breakfast, ‘Glutton For Punishment’ is fully capable of enticing a wider audience, keeping its gothic roots bubbling under the surface.

Admittedly, the record is not without its less intoxicating moments, suggesting that Orme still has room for further experimentation and refinement of ideas in future. ‘Mad Catch’ can feel a little cluttered at times, with its chorus of “where’s the magic in that?” feeling like a more unnatural choice than most on the album. ‘Smugglers Adventure,’ meanwhile, ultimately fails to justify its nearly seven-minute runtime, presenting a less nuanced sound palate that previous tracks. Despite these less-impressive moments though, ‘Glutton For Punishment’ is ultimately a fairly consistent listen throughout, ending on a suitably intimate note in its title track— we can’t help but be disappointed, then, by how brief the album feels. Though thirty-seven minutes of material is nothing to be sniffed at, the sense that something even greater is coming down the line is inescapable: whether that’s a point of praise or criticism is hard to say.

Existing in a liminal space between darkness and accessibility, ‘Glutton For Punishment’ succeeds is setting Heartworms up as one to watch going forward. It’s the kind of deeply unsettling yet rewarding experience that many artists strive for, standing as a phenomenal accomplishment of a debut full-length LP. Though the opportunity for even loftier heights is definitely there for Orme, future releases will certainly struggle to leave this record in the dust— its brooding melodies are sure to keep us returning, at least.