Criminals

Criminals by MS MR: Desire at the Edge

Why This Song Feels Dangerous on Purpose

The meaning of Criminals MS MR centers on a relationship that feels thrilling, unhealthy, and hard to leave. The song does not seem to be about literal crime as much as emotional rule-breaking. They present two people who know the bond is damaging, yet they still choose it.

That is why the title matters. In the chorus, calling themselves criminals turns romance into a shared offense. They are not just in love. They are crossing a line together, and that line gives the song its charge.

MS MR were the New York duo of Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow, known for dark, glossy alt-pop. According to the duo's official and label bios, they built a sound that mixed pop hooks with moody electronic textures, which fits this song's push-and-pull energy well. Their second album How Does It Feel includes "Criminals," released in 2015. The listed songwriters include Alexander Hershenow, Zachary Nicita, Daniel Nigro, Lizzy Plapinger, and Jeremiah Raisen.

Watch the official Criminals music video

The Core Story: Two People Choosing the Fire

At its heart, the song describes a pair trapped in mutual attraction. They know the truth of the relationship. It hurts, but that honesty does not lead to escape. Instead, it leads to surrender.

Early lines frame the connection as intoxicating and dishonest. Phrases like feed me your lies and falling for this high suggest seduction mixed with self-deception. They are being pulled in by pleasure even while seeing the damage clearly.

The song then builds a twisted sense of partnership. One person is framed as a crook, the other as a thief, but the point is less about law and more about complicity. They fit together in a destructive way. Even when they admit they are a mess, the song says they still try, which makes the relationship feel active rather than accidental.

How the Chorus Explains the Meaning

The chorus is the emotional center of the track. It asks whether there is an exit, then rejects it. That turn matters.

Interpretation: the repeated question about a way out is the voice of reason. The answer, though, is desire. When the singer says they do not want escape and only want to be a criminal with you, the song reveals its main idea: shared ruin can feel more appealing than safety.

This is why the chorus lands so hard. It is not confused. It is a choice. The speaker sees the danger and stays anyway.

Do you want a way out? I don't want a way out You and I know the truth Even though it hurts

That short exchange captures the whole conflict. The truth is painful, but pain does not break the bond. It deepens it.

The Imagery of Breath, Cliffs, and Getaway Motion

Several images keep the song tense and physical. Breath appears again and again, often in strained form. When the lyric says they can hardly breathe, the relationship feels both ecstatic and suffocating. Love here is not calm. It is pressure.

The cliff image raises the stakes. Standing on an edge implies a point of no return. Then the car starting adds motion, almost like a getaway scene. The pair are not just near danger; they are driving into it.

There is also a strong police-chase mood in the line about running from the lights. Interpretation: this likely symbolizes guilt, judgment, or consequences chasing them. The lovers act as if they are fugitives from normal life, trying to outrun what they already know.

The song's imagery keeps mixing romance with threat. Fire and ice, death vows, and darkness in the heart all suggest a bond that feels epic but unstable.

How the Sound Carries the Message

"Criminals" works because the production turns emotional conflict into movement. The beat is urgent, the synths are bright but shadowed, and the vocal delivery rides between hunger and strain. That contrast mirrors the lyrics: pleasure on the surface, panic underneath.

MS MR's style often uses pop structure to hold darker feelings, and this track is a strong example of that approach. The chorus is huge and catchy, but the words are about entrapment. The polished sound almost tricks the listener the same way the relationship tricks the narrator.

Interpretation: the song's dance-pop pulse may represent the addictive loop itself. It keeps pushing forward, just like the pair keep choosing each other despite the warning signs.

Is “Criminals” About Love, Addiction, or Rebellion?

The strongest reading is toxic romance, but the song leaves room for more than one meaning.

Reading One: A doomed love affair

This is the clearest interpretation. The language of vows, darkness, and refusal to leave makes the song sound like two lovers locked in a cycle they cannot quit.

Reading Two: Addiction in relationship form

The song also uses the language of highs, breathlessness, and dependence. That can make the relationship sound like a substance: dangerous, thrilling, and hard to stop.

Reading Three: A fantasy of us-against-the-world rebellion

There is a glamor to the song's outlaw pose. Calling the pair criminals can also suggest romance as rebellion, where breaking rules feels like proof that the bond is real.

Why the Song Still Connects

Part of the reason listeners return to this track is that it understands a hard truth: people do not always want what is good for them. Sometimes they want intensity, even when it leaves scars.

That is the lasting meaning of Criminals MS MR. It is a song about choosing closeness over safety and desire over escape. They frame love as a pact between two people who know better and go forward anyway.

The result is catchy, dramatic, and a little unsettling, which is exactly why it works.

Disclaimer: This interpretation is based on the song's lyrics, sound, and public release context. Like most pop songs, "Criminals" can support more than one valid reading.