Desire recently announced that a new album called Games People Play is due out in April, and their latest single, “The Judge”, provides ample reason to be excited for its release. Built around the twin nocturnal spirits of Johnny Jewel and Megan Louise, the band once again plunges into a world of noir-ish danger and seductive temptations. The track revels in a collection of icy electroclash atmospheres, a minimalist beat appearing to offer sanctuary as we slip further into its grip. Louise’s voice is equal parts forbidding and distant as her words are spoken in haunting temperaments. There’s no rush to bombast here, just a cooly detached inevitability that challenges us to keep our senses in a swirling storm of synths and emotional ambiguity.
“In the age of omnipresent surveillance…Machines track our every move while friends stalk our every groove,” the duo explain. “Take matters into your own hands…be the judge & jury of your own timeline. Life is too short, so forget the lurkers & love the jerkers. Time is running out & court is now adjourned.”
The accompanying video was directed by Kirill Nong.
Watch the clip below.
Games People Play is out March 21 via Italians Do It Better. Follow Desire on Facebook, X, and Instagram.