Freak Slug - I Blow Out Big Candles (But With A Cherry On Top)

Freak Slug's debut album 'I Blow Out Big Candles (But With A Cherry On Top)' feels a bit like the world's most chaotic birthday bash - there's cake everywhere, someone's definitely casting spells in the corner, and the playlist keeps switching between bedroom pop sweetness and delightfully unhinged punk energy.

The album opens with fuzzy scene-setter 'Ya Ready', before diving into 'Sexy Lemon', a track that perfectly captures the lo-fi charm that made her earlier EPs so captivating, but with an added dash of mischief.

'Spells' combines witchy declarations with paint-peeling screams that feel both liberating and slightly menacing, while 'Liquorice' showcases Freak Slug's bratty playfulness at its finest and 'Be Your Girl' offers a surprisingly sweet respite, proving she can do straight-up love songs without losing her distinctive edge.

The album takes a deliciously darker turn with 'Killer', channelling 90s alternative influences into something thoroughly unsettling. Simultaneously silly and sincere, the sugary-sweet 'Piece of Cake' comparing a romantic interest to baked goods ("Wish I never had a bite of that tasty thing, should have gone in the bin") probably shouldn't work as well as it does, but is actually one of the most charming moments on the record.

The unpredictability and sass across the album makes for a gripping ride. Freak Slug has delivered a party where everyone's invited - just don't be surprised if things get weird by midnight.