It’s hard to believe that it was only five years ago that Arlo Parks released her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams. An ensemble of observation masked through melody; it was the perfect introduction to who Parks was as an artist. Fast forward, these qualities only greaten in Ambiguous Desire, her third studio album.
By extracting from the blueprints of house and trance and marking them next to her pre-existing foundations of ambient indie, Ambiguous Desire does the tricky thing of matching the appeal of its predecessors whilst still standing firmly on its own two feet. As a fan of her previous work, it’s a refreshing addition to an already excellent breadth of work.
The album’s “live in the moment” motif seeps into each verse, with the simplicity of Park’s poetic surveillance of reality shining through, especially on tracks such as “Get Go,” and “Nightswimming.” Even when trailing away from these notions, honing in on more generic lyrical themes such as heartbreak. Focus on forgotten details; the empty feeling of a dream where nothing’s changed, the self-loathing summoned by regret, it’s all here, reaching out to those who need to hear it.
In an attempt to re-engage with the ecstasy of leaving worries behind, dancefloors are sculpted through slick production. The pulse of beats trickle amongst fleeting strums of a guitar on tracks like “What If I Say It?” and “Heaven,” conjures the euphoria of going out. The thick synths cutting through rhythm in “2SIDED” and “Jetta,” place you in the midst of a crowded club, engulfed by the haze of strobe lighting. All pave a path for us to experience this escapism for ourselves.
Within just 39 minutes, Arlo Parks infers a mantra of being young. By utilizing each aspect of every song, we’re shown the whole scale of human emotion. As sorrow greets euphoria, scenes are set through sleek collisions of sound. To coincide with the album’s theme, Parks feels at ease here. As she explores the freedom of a new musical direction, we’re thrown right into it, and it makes for yet another fantastic listen.
Arlo Parks: Ambiguous Desire – Out 3 April 2026 (Transgressive Records)
Parks – Get Go (Official Music Video)
