Arlo Parks @ The Wardrobe, Leeds - 4th April 2026
- Huw Williams
- Apr 9
- 2 min read
At The Wardrobe in Leeds, Arlo Parks stripped things back to their barest, most revealing form.
Words & Photos - Huw Williams
In a dimly lit room of roughly 300 people, the album launch felt like not just a performance but also an invitation inside her creative process. Joined only by guitarist and bassist Simon, Parks leaned into intimacy, letting space and subtlety do the heavy lifting.
Her earlier work, rooted in soft neo-soul, bedroom pop textures, and gently confessional indie folk, has always thrived on warmth and lyrical clarity. Here, though, there’s a noticeable shift. The new material feels more exploratory, with electronics pushed to the forefront. Parks and Simon frequently shared synth duties, building and reshaping songs in front of us, improvising with each other with an ease that felt instinctive.
All twelve tracks from the new album were aired in the 60 minute set, and while the sonic palette has broadened, her poetic core remains intact. “Get Go” was the clear standout, drawing the night’s most visceral reaction as the crowd took over much of the vocal, turning it into a communal release. “Blue Disco” showcased her willingness to stretch, its fluid synth passages morphing mid-song into something looser and more playful.
“Senses,” featuring Sampha on the record, was introduced with reverence. Parks described his voice as “alive, like a woodwind instrument,” and even in his absence, that spirit lingered. Meanwhile, “What If I Say?” grounded the set in vulnerability, its central question - what happens when we finally speak our fears aloud - landing with quiet weight.
By the time “2SIDED” arrived, Parks was at the barrier, beaming, fully immersed in the crowd’s energy. It’s a subtle evolution, but an affecting one: more experimental, yet still anchored by the emotional precision that defines her voice.
Ultimately, the set felt like a perfect distillation of the new record. The expanded, electronic palette is pulled back to something raw and human, without losing any of its emotional weight. After a period of stepping away, it’s great to see Arlo Parks return with such clarity and confidence. There’s a renewed sense of purpose here: more exploratory, more instinctive, but still grounded in the quiet, poetic honesty that makes her work resonate.
Listen to Arlo Parks new Album on Spotify:
