In 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson published Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The effect of the book was so strong on Jojo Orme, the poetically gothic mind behind Heartworms, that a quotation from that book inadvertently became the central theme from which she built her deliciously dark debut album, ‘Glutton for Punishment’.

Reading aloud from a commonplace book that contains all of Jojo’s most soul-defining moments, she delivers the line that represents the fundamental basis of ‘Glutton for Punishment’:

Introducing herself into a world beyond the post-punk label that was forced upon her after 2023 EP ‘A Comforting Notion’, this album is a nine-track opening chapter that sees Jojo more intimately explore compulsion, connection, and chaos.

Travelling from infatuation in ‘Just To Ask A Dance’, through to an analysis of mankind’s inexplicable need for destruction in ‘Glutton for Punishment’ and ‘Extraordinary Wings’, it’s a record that nonchalantly deals with uncomfortable truths, laying bare the universal realities that can be so easily glossed over amidst the scramble of modern life.

Gothic darkness lies at the centre of Heartworms' existence, nowhere more so than in Jojo’s lifelong inspirations. Whether it’s Edgar Allan Poe or the aforementioned Robert Louis Stevenson, baroque architecture or military history, it’s from the vulnerability of the human condition that Jojo draws most of her energy.

This is where the Jekyll and Hyde idea really comes to the fore, representing the two interconnected but separate sides of her personality. "I click in and out of Heartworms, which makes it easier for me; it would be too much pressure and too overwhelming to be constantly thinking, 'Ok, I have to write today, I have to write today’."

She continues: "I love acting. People think acting is just lying or playing a character, but it isn’t; it’s channelling emotions from your own life and putting them into your performance. That’s what I’m doing with Heartworms, really. I’m channelling what’s inside me through the words and the music."

‘Glutton for Punishment’ sees Jojo try on all of these different characters, delving into different writing styles and stretching her own boundaries. Not hampered by outside expectations, she used this as an opportunity to properly carve out her niche, refusing to accept a position that didn’t feel truly aligned with where she is internally.

Jojo proves this across the album, playing with new techniques and genres that elevate her into a different league. Her bravery and self-assuredness permeate throughout each of these nine tracks, nowhere clearer than ominous opener ‘In The Beginning’, a 40-second ode to white noise that knocks you off-kilter and prepares you for an experience unlike any you’ve had before.

From the moment ‘In The Beginning’ explodes into the almost thrash metal bassline that kicks off ‘Just To Ask A Dance’, the album winds through gritty, grimy dance beats, mantra-like lyricism, and moments of crunchy rock guitar that mimic the uncertainty of an ever more unstable global picture told through the lens of personal scars.

At no point, though, does Jojo try to fix anything. As someone who grew up in a household that was desperately strict and insecure, she has grown used to finding comfort in chaotic scenarios, learning that there’s more to be gained from observation instead of interjection.

This more considered approach allows Jojo to not only illuminate minute personal details with remarkable clarity but also to tackle the uncomfortable topics of global warfare and socio-political conflict that remain so prevalent even after hollow cries of ‘never again’.

Understanding the emotions flowing through her is Jojo’s real strength, one which manifests itself both lyrically and sonically to create an authentically composed and wholly original project. She is also not afraid to acknowledge her own limitations, with the creative process being as much a light shining on her growing abilities as it was the personal traumas she has felt throughout her life so far.

By doing away with tradition, Jojo was liberated, taking time with producer Dan Carey to feel her way through a song instead of planning it out step-by-step and note-by-note. Nowhere was this more prevalent than with ‘Extraordinary Wings’, an anti-war song that unlocked the album’s huge heart.

Jojo is keen for ‘Glutton for Punishment’ to be viewed as an introduction, giving listeners a hint of what she can do without overwhelming them. Partly, it’s a matter of leaving them wanting more, taking her cues from long-time idol Prince, but the other reason is her constant desire to evolve. As an adult, she is living all the experiences she wasn’t allowed to during her childhood, taking time now to learn in the way that best suits her.

The evolution continues with a tour around the UK and Europe that sees Jojo travel to new places and continue her personal educational journey, with a first-ever trip to Germany’s Rhineland befitting the dark, mysterious nature of this Heartworms debut.

The common theme throughout the rich variety of inspirations that have gone into forming Heartworms’ identity is, apart from the glaringly obvious fascination with malevolent forces, the importance of minutiae. The rhythm of her favourite poetry, the fearful glint in the eye of demonic statues, the fine details that finally saw warplanes spark to life in World War II — all of that process is what makes ‘Glutton for Punishment’ such a staggeringly accomplished work.

Sitting on the runway, ready to take off with the release of this album, Jojo has set her course for the stars as she looks to the year ahead. "I’d love the Mercury Prize," she manifests, "but I also want to revel in the album, to be in the moment and feel every second of it."

For an album so defiantly unique, it’s ironic that it proves an old cliché: pain truly does create art.

Taken from the March 2025 issue of Dork. Heartworms' debut album 'Glutton For Punishment' is out now.