Albums to watch

Ambiguous Desire

Arlo Parks

Ambiguous Desire

Third album from London-born singer-songwriter and poet Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho

ADM rating[?]

7.4

Label
Transgressive
UK Release date
03/04/2026
US Release date
03/04/2026
  1. 9.0 |   DIY

    NEW Her most vividly realised and affecting body of work to date
    Read Review

  2. 8.0 |   Exclaim

    NEW Parks is as heartfelt as she ever was, but it's now within a liminal space of defiant delight; hands reaching out, publicly caught in the push and pull of human emotion
    Read Review

  3. 8.0 |   The Skinny

    NEW Arlo Parks approaches euphoria and vulnerability with a soothing ambivalence
    Read Review

  4. 8.0 |   Rolling Stone

    NEW On her accomplished third album, Arlo Parks shows that the dance floor is the place to forget your problems
    Read Review

  5. 8.0 |   The Independent

    NEW Any fear, dissociation or sorrow Parks describes is repeatedly shaken off in the communion of the dancefloor
    Read Review

  6. 8.0 |   Record Collector

    NEW "We're blossoming," she sings of a new romance, but she could easily be talking about herself and her artistic trajectory, having pulled off a daring makeover with such style. Print edition only

  7. 7.1 |   Pitchfork

    NEW Inspired by an immersion into New York City nightlife, the English songwriter embraces the sounds of dance music on a set of studied, introspective pop songs
    Read Review

  8. 7.0 |   All Music

    NEW Parks has always had a light, airy voice, and here it often seems like she's struggling to be heard over the bass, while the breakbeat-driven grooves are more immediate than the songs' hooks. Nevertheless, there's still some quality material on Ambiguous Desire, even if its pleasures are nearly as ephemeral as the nights out that inspired the album
    Read Review

  9. 7.0 |   Far Out

    NEW As Parks prioritises danceable beats throughout this record, while also sampling the radio to position herself as a listener, Ambiguous Desire becomes a call to the dance floor
    Read Review

  10. 7.0 |   Northern Transmissions

    NEW Although Ambiguous Desire is the most compelling new Arlo Parks music since her debut, her pivot towards ‘introvert-at-the-club’ dance-pop sometimes ends up feeling like a half-measure set against her more mild presence on these songs
    Read Review

  11. 7.0 |   PopMatters

    NEW A dance pop album, but since this is Arlo Parks, it’s a low-key, introspective one. The indie dance pop feel is a successful sonic shift
    Read Review

  12. 7.0 |   Uncut

    NEW One of those albums that evokes a tangible mood; in this case, somewhere adjacent to the sun coming up after a rollercoaster of a night out. As such, it's frequently wonderful. Print edition only

  13. 6.0 |   musicOMH

    NEW This blissfully atmospheric album opts for the polished beauty of the chillout room, where it makes a fine soundtrack to dancing away heartache
    Read Review


blog comments powered by Disqus

Watch it

Roll over video for more options

Hear it

Latest Reviews

More reviews