Over the past two years, Arlo dove headfirst into nocturnal spaces where she could be whoever she wanted. She drew inspiration from the queer hedonism of NYC’s Paradise Garage to the moody nocturnal British beats of The Streets and Burial, the glittering synth catharsis of LCD Soundsystem, and rooted house grooves of Theo Parrish, losing herself on the dancefloor. The record is Parks at her most confident and experimental, supplanting live band sessions for modular synths, Ableton plugins and samplers that channel the frenetic, vibrant spaces she was immersed in, all while spotlighting the acclaimed poetry and lyricism she’s beloved for.

Reflecting on the making of the record, Parks shares, “I danced more than ever as I made this record, I made more friends than ever too, found myself in the weird underbelly of New York juke nights, unleashed, laughed and laughed and laughed. This record has desire at its center. Desire is a life force, it’s a wanting, a yearning, a momentum – we are all alive because there is something or someone we want – desire is an engine. But it is also mysterious, tangled, random, enlightening and HUMAN.”

Featuring on the record are the singles ‘Get Go’, ‘Heaven’, and ‘2SIDED’, as well as the album’s focus song ‘Beams’, which was released last week. With these releases, Parks has received overwhelming support, including a performance and interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and playlist additions across BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 1. She also took over the NTS Radio studios for her own show, sharing a mix of club music and current favourites – offering a glimpse into the sounds shaping this era. 

Already met with widespread critical acclaim, Ambiguous Desire is scoring top marks across the board – celebrated as “her ultimate statement” by Classic Pop, while Rolling Stone UK highlights it as her most versatile work to date. Uncut describes it as “frequently wonderful”, with… INSERT MORE REVIEW PRAISE HERE.

Bursting onto the scene with her distinct blend of raw lyrical self-expression and vivid vocal melody, Parks has since been nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album, won the Mercury Music Prize for her 2021 Gold-certified debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams, been named a Breakthrough Artist at the Brit Awards, and been nominated at the Ivor Novello Awards. A poet as much as a performer, Parks followed up her previous critically acclaimed album My Soft Machine with the debut of her first published book, The Magic Border, a collection of 20 new poems and exclusive images by Daniyel Lowden alongside lyrics from My Soft Machine.

Arlo is also a featured writer on Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning album Cowboy Carter. Arlo has performed at Glastonbury and Coachella, opened for Billie Eilish and Harry Styles and captivated audiences across the world with her headline tour. Upon the release of previous album My Soft Machine Arlo performed on NPR Tiny Desk and appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.  

Arlo Parks is currently in the middle of a run of sold out intimate UK record store shows to celebrate the album’s release, offering fans a rare chance to experience a live performance in an up-close setting. She has also announced a global headline tour, alongside a special support performance with David Byrne in Ireland this June, and a special DESIRE PARTY at south London venue Palais in Peckham on 23rd April. The event will see her DJ alongside Lil Silva, Oscar Farrell and Sherelle and ticket holders will also receive a limited edition DESIRE USB stick, which includes the full album and all the instrumentals to mix, remix and party to. Full date listings appear below, with further information available here.