There's a school of thought that claims that music should be pure escapism, an hour or so of lightweight, enjoyable music to soothe away the cares of the day. Those people would probably be best not listening to Slut Freak.

This is a dark and uncomfortable album which is compared in the press release to Underworld and Cradle Of Filth. While that should give you some idea of the general mood of the album, it's actually a bit off the mark. It doesn't have the sheer class of the best of Underworld and quite frankly it's a lot more listenable than anything Cradle of Filth have offered.

It starts with the heavy, repetitive beats of '90 On The 90' but things get more uncomfortable with 'Another Level'. A broody electonicia starts up and a sample of an unknown woman's voice intoning "Don't you know? It's not about money, or clothes or guest lists" is spread throughout the song. The effect is quite startling and slightly disorientating. It's saying something that this is probably the most commercial track on the album.

The pace lets up slightly for Confessions, but the samples of a woman crying still produce a mildly disturbing effect. Possibly the highlight of the record is the exhilarating "Reverend Mindwarp" - a preacher in full flow over the some of the most blistering beats heard this year.

This isn't an album for anyone who likes their music traditional, or for those people with an aversion to any type of electronic music. The whole album is pretty heavy going, and you really have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to it. Although some of the tracks do conjure up images of the local goth disco frequented by the misunderstood kids of the area, this is a pretty successful debut from Slut Freak. It's unlikely to be a hit, but it's even more unlikely that they care. To buy this album, visit www.slutpuppyproductions.com.

- John Murphy

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Mercury Prize 2009 nominees