Guccihighwaters Shares Lead Single 'DESIRE' From Newly Announced Album

guccihighwaters – the moniker of mastermind artist Morgan Murphy – has announced his new album ‘DEATH BY DESIRE’ out May 30th via Epitaph Records. Emerging from the late 2016/2017 emo-rap scene that once dominated SoundCloud, Murphy's third record marks a sonic evolution. He seamlessly integrates iridescent pop elements to showcase a matured take on his signature dark R&B style. Empowered by the freedom of having total creative control over his vision, the multi-hyphenate dove head-first into the ambitious role of songwriter, producer and vocalist to reveal his boldest and most adventurous output yet.

guccihighwaters previews the album with its brooding lead single, “DESIRE” out now. Shrouded in an eerie atmosphere, he employs glistening synths and deep, pulsing 808s to amplify the haunting intensity of his breathy, emotive vocals.

Discussing the no-holds-barred approach he took with DEATH BY DESIRE, the artist explains, “I usually tend to hold back on certain themes/topics, but with this album I didn't. If DESIRE comes across as toxic/heartless it’s because it is. It’s a story from a dark time when the only thing I could see was s that was bad for me. I always say, “You’re lucky if you can’t relate”, but to those who do, you’ll feel it.”

Lyrically, guccihighwaters dives deeper than ever before in the new record, embracing a raw and honest style that leaves no emotional stone unturned. “DEATH BY DESIRE is about the dark side of things that are seen as bad or sinful—lust, greed, jealousy,” he says. “I wanted to showcase what the dark side of being an artist can be. In the past, I hadn't really dipped into that aspect of myself too much, but for this record I wanted to get everything out there—even the bad feelings.”

In the years following his sophomore record ‘joke’s on you’ (2021), the multi-talented artist found himself at a total standstill. After bouncing between sessions with various producers and songwriters, he felt increasingly disconnected from his own work. Knowing it was time for a major change, he retreated to his studio to self-produce the luxurious alternative pop sound that would become ‘DEATH BY DESIRE’. With full creative control, aside from trusted collaborators TOOPOOR and No Love For The Middle Child, guccihighwaters displays just how far he’s come in his artistic abilities.

“I wanted to fully trust myself and my ideas, and that progression ultimately resulted in my expressing the honesty of who I am as a creator,” he muses. “This is the rawest form of my art.”

Photo credit: Max Durante