Being part of London’s post-punk scene can be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it has carved out a home for some of the most dynamic and revolutionary voices of the past decade, yet, for an artist like Jojo Orme, who records as Heartworms, there’s always the danger of being filed away under a broad, oversimplified label. With her latest single, ‘Warplane’, Heartworms unmistakably breaks free, shattering any notion of being pigeonholed as merely “post-punk.” The result is a stunning, fully realised work of art.
Throughout the track, as a listener, you can’t help but be in awe of the sheer scope of its sound. There’s a ferocity to the rhythm section, with a pounding bassline that pulses like the heartbeat of a long-lost Joy Division track. It’s urgent, frenetic, yet carefully controlled, evoking the intensity of early 2000s indie-disco—but with a darker, heavier undertow. The track’s motorik tendencies—produced by none other than Dan Carey, known for shaping bold sonic statements—drive it forward relentlessly, making every second feel like it’s hurtling toward some cataclysmic event. The tension builds and builds, much like the dogfight Orme sings about, spinning us through the chaos of war, only to leave us breathless in the aftermath.
But it’s the haunting beauty of Orme’s vocals that elevate the track into something otherworldly. There’s a solemnity to the delivery, particularly in the ghostly harmonies that flutter in and out like war memorial hymns sung in abandoned cathedrals, each word hanging heavy with grief.
Lyrically, ‘Warplane’ feels staggeringly real. This is history made real, and it hits like a gut punch, leaving you grappling with its unfathomable truth. The way the personal and the historical are woven together makes the song feel like a lament not just for one man, but for all the unknown soldiers lost to time. The highlight is when the song soars, only to then crash, with Orme’s visceral dedication to William Gibson Gordon, the young Spitfire pilot who perished at just 20 years old during World War II. Orme paints the moment with heartbreaking clarity, as his Spitfire crumples like “an angel losing its extraordinary wings.”
With ‘Warplane’, Heartworms not only solidifies her vision but also asserts a fearlessness in her art. The ambition is staggering—this is not just an artist experimenting with sound, but someone cementing an identity. The result is an anthem for the bold, a testament to Orme’s determination to fly against the current, leaving you eagerly awaiting the full scope of her debut album ‘Glutton For Punishment’—because if this single is anything to go by, we’re in for something monumental.
Photo by Gilbert Trejo
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