Album Review: Arlo Parks - 'Ambiguous Desire'

Ambiguous Desire, preceded by singles “Get Go,” “Heaven,” and “2SIDED,” is a sonic mosaic of delicious bass lines, mellow percussion, and heartfelt lyrics. Arlo Parks has created a record that is simultaneously reminiscent of walking through the crowded streets of New York City and running through the foggy rolling hills of rural Appalachia. From “Jetta,” which immediately makes me want to dance, to the chorus of “Heaven” that scratches an itch in my brain, Parks is taking us on a journey of feel-good beats and hard-hitting lyrics in Ambiguous Desire.

“Get Go,” Parks’ most recent single release from the record, belongs on playlists like “Hot Girls Who Run,” “Personality Hire,” or “I Eat Success For Breakfast.” Listeners who have been enjoying this tune will be equally pleased by “Beams.” A song with a yummy bass line and scream-in-the-car lyrics. 

Ambiguous Desire is characterized by a balance of a self-assured sonic landscape and honest, vulnerable lyrics. The layering and un-layering of vocals, synthesizers, and rhythm section are particularly revitalizing. The album is mellow, and yet still rhythmically motivated with a sense of direction. It has an intentional story to tell. The exploration of the vulnerability of getting close to someone for the first time in “South Seconds” especially resonated with me. There is beauty and excitement and fear all wrapped up into one. The adrenaline rush of realizing we “can’t go back, can’t go back, can’t go back” is cushioned by lilting melodies and reverberating harmonies that punctuate this feeling. 

As a fellow twenty-something, I have a special appreciation for Ambiguous Desire’s closing track “Floette,” a fun Pokémon allegory for personal evolution. With lines like, “Making me feel like I’m 14…Scared to commit and scared to leave,” Parks beautifully depicts being afraid to change and being afraid of not changing in the same breath. We can accept these fears and hardships while still holding hope. “We’re blossoming.” And like Floette, we are indeed blossoming.

Rating - 3.5/5