Heartworms Returns With Bold New Single Guess Im Stuck In The Dark And Prepares For Sophomore Album Release Alongside Major European Tour

Rising London goth-rock force Heartworms, led by mastermind Jojo Orme, has officially returned with a bold, dance-infused new single titled Guess Im Stuck In The Dark. The track serves as the premier taste of her highly anticipated sophomore studio album, following the widespread critical acclaim of her 2025 debut full-length, Glutton For Punishment. Known for her stark, macabre aesthetic and razor-sharp lyricism, Orme’s latest offering introduces an unexpected yet compelling evolution in her sound, blending shimmering, disco-ball-adjacent textures with the brooding atmosphere of indie noir.

The release of the single marks a major turning point for the artist, arriving alongside the announcement of a massive upcoming co-headline tour supporting post-punk royalty Interpol and Bloc Party across the UK and Europe. As Orme steps into this vibrant new era, she does so having undergone substantial personal and artistic transformations, trading her signature all-black wardrobe for tailored wool suits and expanding her sonic palette far beyond traditional genre boundaries.

Anatomy of a Midnight Track: The Origins of Guess Im Stuck In The Dark

The genesis of Guess Im Stuck In The Dark is rooted in an unexpected, mundane moment of vulnerability. During a recent writing retreat in Italy—where Orme launched her new aesthetic and road-tested preliminary iterations of the material—a sudden power outage plunged her into total darkness while she was using the restroom. This literal descent into blackness triggered a stream-of-consciousness writing session driven by an instinctive fear of the dark and the psychological manifestations of self-doubt.

Upon returning to London, Orme brought the raw demo to producer Dan Carey, a frequent collaborator known for his work with a litany of alternative luminaries. Carey recognized the hidden potential within the track, encouraging Orme to strip the arrangement down to its bare essentials. The result is a strutting, groove-heavy composition that investigates how the human mind begins to deceive itself when isolated in insecurity, conjuring up exaggerated fears while simultaneously inviting the listener to dance alongside the unease.

Reflecting on the lyrical development of the song, Orme has noted that the process often operates on a subconscious level. Struggling to generate ideas while feeling vulnerable and hesitant about recording vocals in front of peers, she channeled her lack of self-confidence directly into the music. Rather than striving for external perfection or trying to appease an audience, the track focuses heavily on internal authenticity—figuring out how to achieve greatness strictly on one’s own terms.

Evolution and Aesthetics: Embracing Discomfort and Change

The transition from 2025’s Glutton For Punishment to her sophomore effort has been defined by a conscious rejection of creative limitations. Orme has consistently maintained that she does not approach songwriting with rigid plans or predetermined goals, viewing predictability as an enemy of true innovation.

This philosophy extends directly into her evolving visual and instrumental identity. During her recent intimate preview shows in Italy, Orme deliberately discarded her traditional stage uniform of all-black clothing in favor of woollen suits. Despite the physical discomfort and heavy sweating associated with performing under stage lights in heavy wool, she noted that the physical unease paradoxically sharpens her performance, forcing her to lean entirely into the adrenaline of the moment.

Instrumentally, Orme has also stepped away from her long-standing reliance on the Gibson Firebird, an instrument notorious for inducing physical strain and back pain during extended sets. Instead, she has embraced the Fender Telecaster, a guitar whose distinct shape she previously hesitated to bring to the stage. By finding the right visual context to complement the instrument’s sharp contours, she has successfully curated a fresh aesthetic that mirrors the evolving texture of her music.

Personal Turmoil and Lyrical Watersheds

Behind the sonic experimentation and glittering indie-noir grooves lies a period of profound personal upheaval. In interviews surrounding the new single, Orme has candidly discussed how significant life changes over the past year have fundamentally reshaped her worldview and artistic output.

Navigating the complexities of marriage, subsequent separation, and a continuous battle to reconcile personal identity with religious ideals, Orme views writing not merely as a profession, but as a vital coping mechanism. These turbulent experiences have dissolved many of her previous certainties, resulting in an album defined by uncertainty, dark humor, and acute introspection.

Rather than adopting a singular, overarching character or narrative arc across the new record, Orme moves through the tracks like water, allowing each song to assume the shape of its own distinct emotional environment. Many of the lyrics were finalized only moments before hitting the recording booth, acting as accidental confessions that allowed her to articulate feelings of entrapment and emotional shifting long before she fully understood them intellectually.

High-Profile Collaborations and Live Itinerary

As Heartworms prepares to take her new material to larger international audiences, the artist finds herself sharing stages with some of the most enduring acts in alternative music. Her current momentum builds upon previous high-profile support slots alongside major touring artists such as St. Vincent and Sleaford Mods, performances that have rigorously tested her stamina in increasingly large venues.

Most notably, Heartworms is set to join Interpol and Bloc Party as a special guest on their joint UK and European co-headline tour, a milestone of particular personal significance given Orme’s professed lifelong reverence for Interpol’s distinctive guitar instrumentation and melancholic atmosphere. The collaborative trek kicks off in Berlin on November 11, following an extensive run of headline and festival appearances.

Live Performance Schedule

• October 28: The Windmill, Brixton, London (Headpine show)
• October 31: Dark Arts Festival, Leeds
• November 7: Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik
• November 11 onwards: European and UK tour supporting Interpol and Bloc Party, commencing in Berlin

In addition to her musical accolades, Orme’s distinct cultural footprint has expanded into unexpected creative spheres. She maintains a high-profile friendship with iconic video game director Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear and Death Stranding franchises, who has publicly celebrated her music and cemented her status as a critical darling within both the indie music community and broader alternative pop culture.

Broader Impact and Industry Implications

The arrival of Guess Im Stuck In The Dark and the forthcoming second album arrive at a crucial juncture for the modern post-punk and goth-rock revival. While many contemporaries lean heavily into rigid genre tropes and nostalgic mimicry, Heartworms continues to separate herself from the pack by aggressively subverting expectations. By injecting danceable grooves, glitterball aesthetics, and pop sensibilities into a traditionally dark and austere sonic framework, Orme is forging a unique lane that bridges the gap between underground cult appeal and wider mainstream viability.

With the recording process for the sophomore album now successfully completed and visual campaigns fully underway, the industry anticipates a record that will not only solidify Heartworms’ status as one of the UK’s most vital rising exports but also redefine the boundaries of contemporary indie noir. Fans and critics alike can stream Guess Im Stuck In The Dark across all major streaming platforms now, ahead of her explosive run of autumn and winter live performances.