While 2026’s Ambiguous Desire is a musical departure of sorts for Arlo Parks, the UK-born singer-songwriter had long been soaking in the sounds of London’s club culture. And that only manifested itself more when, in 2022, she moved to LA and started building her skills as a DJ. Parks created her Apple Music Fitness mix for the gym “to get into a playful flow state” before it “gets a little bit darker and allows you to really dig in when the workout gets more challenging,” she says. Parks is a regular at the gym, “boxing twice a week with a trainer and then a mixture of HIIT, long steady-state cardio, push/pull/legs split, depending on how my body feels. I would use this mix on an upper-body day, lighter weight but more reps. I think it would really help me get into that mind-body connection and just enjoy what I’m listening to.” It’s a set that doesn’t let up, featuring tracks from Kelly Lee Owens, Joy Orbison, Shygirl, and more. “I kept the mix at 128 BPM as I enjoy a steady pace that builds in musical intensity,” says Parks, “moving from a fun house space into some juke, techno, and garage.”