Two-time Grammy nominee Arlo Parks is expanding the world of her acclaimed album Ambiguous Desire with a digital deluxe edition, released via Transgressive. Featuring two new songs, a rework with John Glacier, and remixes from Jacques Greene, Nosaj Thing, Lil Silva, and Oscar Farrell, the expanded release explores new directions across house, 2-step, rap, and electronic music.
The deluxe edition’s focus track, “waiting for me,” is a sparse, softly sung reflection on healing, self-sabotage, and learning to find peace. Parks describes the song as “a letter to myself and a reminder that I am deserving of peace,” capturing the emotional honesty that has remained central to her songwriting.
The second new track, “Nobodysaint,” takes a more surreal approach to romance. As Parks explains, “Nobodysaint is a surreal, deconstructed love song. I wanted it to feel like a song wafting in from a forgotten pirate radio station, familiar and alien at the same time.” Together, the two additions bring fresh perspectives to an album that balances intimate lyricism with a growing fascination for underground club culture.
The expanded release also includes “New Desire,” the track that first introduced the album ahead of its original release, alongside remixes that push its sound into new territory. With contributions from Jacques Greene, Nosaj Thing, Lil Silva, and Oscar Farrell, Ambiguous Desire moves between distinct electronic styles while retaining the emotional core of Parks’ songwriting.
Released in April through Transgressive, Ambiguous Desire was created with producer Baird, known for his work with Brockhampton and Kevin Abstract. Additional production came from longtime collaborator Paul Epworth, whose credits include Adele, Florence + The Machine, and Rihanna, as well as Buddy Ross, known for working with Frank Ocean and Vampire Weekend, and Andrew Sarlo, whose credits include Big Thief and Dijon.
The album has earned significant critical recognition, appearing on Billboard and Rough Trade’s Albums of the Year So Far lists. Classic Pop called it “her ultimate statement,” while Rolling Stone UK praised it as her “most versatile work yet.” Pitchfork highlighted Parks at her best, with Uncut describing the record as “frequently wonderful” and DIY calling it “her most vividly realised and affecting body of work to date.”
Much of the album’s identity grew from Parks’ experiences in nightlife over the past two years. From Midnight Lovers in Los Angeles to the K Bridge in Greenpoint and Venue MOT in London, she immersed herself in the late-night spaces where music, movement, and self-expression intersect. Those experiences helped shape a sound influenced by the queer dancefloor culture of New York City’s Paradise Garage, the nocturnal British sounds of The Streets and Burial, the synth-driven release of LCD Soundsystem, and the rooted house grooves of Theo Parrish.
Rather than relying on traditional live-band sessions, Parks embraced modular synthesizers, Ableton plugins, and samplers to capture the energy of the environments that inspired her. The result is among her most confident and experimental work, pairing adventurous electronic production with the vivid poetry and vocal melodies that first brought her widespread attention.
The deluxe edition arrives as Parks continues her global headline tour, following the conclusion of its North American leg. She heads to Europe this month, where a limited, hand-stamped 12-inch vinyl featuring the Jacques Greene and Oscar Farrell remixes will be available exclusively at select shows while supplies last.
Her schedule also includes an appearance at the launch of Apple Music Hall, a new music venue at Battersea Power Station in London. Parks joins a lineup featuring Charli XCX, Troye Sivan, Elton John, Burna Boy, Chase & Status, Baby Keem, and Skye Newman. Her performance will be livestreamed and later released in spatial audio.
Since emerging with her distinctive blend of vulnerable storytelling and striking vocal melodies, Parks has built a career that spans music, poetry, and live performance. She earned two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album, won the Mercury Prize for her gold-certified 2021 debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams, and was named a Breakthrough Artist at the BRIT Awards. She has also received nominations from the Ivor Novello Awards.
Beyond her own releases, Parks contributed as a writer to Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning album Cowboy Carter. She has performed at Glastonbury and Coachella, opened for Billie Eilish and Harry Styles, and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Later… with Jools Holland, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Her previous album, My Soft Machine, was accompanied by her first published book, The Magic Border, a collection featuring 20 new poems, exclusive images by Daniyel Lowden, and lyrics from the album.
With its new songs and wide-ranging remixes, the deluxe edition of Ambiguous Desire offers another look at an artist continuing to stretch the boundaries of her sound. Parks brings the vulnerability of her songwriting into the shadowy, unpredictable world of the dancefloor, finding room for experimentation without losing the personal details that make her music resonate.
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