Ava Max: Diamonds & Dancefloors Track by Track review
Here are our thoughts on the latest album from Ava Max
Date published: 27th Jan 2023
You remember that Ava Max song 'Sweet But Psycho' don't you? The annoyingly infectious song that dominated PureGym's across the land, overpriced bars and probably the River Island playlist, it was completely inescapable. Even if it gives you earache you can't deny that it propelled Ava Max to another level of pop stardom and she hasn't looked back since.
We thought we'd take a look at her second album 'Diamonds & Dancefloors' on a track-by-track basis.
Million Dollar Baby
We get immediately into a club-lite beat that sees Ava Max surrounded by synths that are like strobe lights. The tempo gets quicker and quicker, with it feeling like you're packed in the middle of a slightly sweaty club basement. Singing about a girl who she describes as a miracle, she speaks of a need to break free. A fiery start to the album.
Sleepwalker
If Ava Max takes you home, she's giving you a warning that you'll be obsessed forever. The production is glossy, if not a little bit too polished. Both songs so far have had a distinctively nocturnal feeling, with them both thriving in the thrill and darkness of the night.
Maybe You're The Problem
This album is all about heartbreak on the dancefloor apparently, which isn't exactly a new concept in the pop music circle. Here, we get the first shreds of things falling apart. Ava starts to realise that she's being messed about a bit and goes on a synth-lit tangent of epiphanies when it comes to her relationship.
Ghost
A beat that immediately calls you over to the dance floor, it would appear that Ava is being haunted by the ghost of a relationship on this track. It's all a bit cliche when it comes to the lyrics, it's like it's taking cookie-cutter lyrics from other songs about the same exact thing. At least the beat is half-decent.
Hold Up (Wait A Minute)
"Why you acting extra nice", Ava enquires as she grows more and more suspicious of her partner. Accusing them of trying to cover their tracks, it again feels like familiar territory. The last couple of songs seem to be focused on being bangers when it comes to the chorus rather than being unique and interesting narratives.
Weapons
War is a metaphor for love here, as partners go head to head. Determined to emphasise that she's invincible, she cannot be harmed by the dirty tactics they might use. The initial cry of the chorus is a slightly skin-crawling moment.
Diamonds & Dancefloors
Crying out for a sense of self-reclamation, a disco ball hangs above this song. In this hard time, escapism is needed, and expensive distractions are needed to get away. Another song that reaches for an anthemic feeling, it'll have you wanting to get your limbs moving.
In The Dark
Left pondering as to why she is getting left in the dark by someone, this song is one of pure frustration. The tempo of the drum beat is getting a bit too similar as the tracks go on. It feels as though the early positive momentum has faded.
Turn Off The Lights
We're greeted by orchestrals here that soon drop into a club-friendly vibe. These songs will definitely find a lot of play at pop nights in the future. One of the most seductive offerings to date, Ava is promising euphoria once the lights are turned off. These songs are barely breaking the three-minute mark.
One of Us
In a track that further emphasises the one-sided relationship that dominates this album, she speaks of her devotion and their lack of it. This song sees her accept that nothing will be saved from this. the tempo shifts between each verse are incredibly satisfying.
Get Outta My Heart
"It was nice to know you but it's hard to know what you did last Summer". It seems as though this is one final shove, the moment where it hits the fan and everything has ended. Accepting it'll hurt for a while, now begins the process of getting over them.
Cold As Ice
There are some odd production choices here, with the male vocals backing her up seeming wildly out of place. There's an awkward drop and some corny sound effects when she mentions a knife. A song that seems as though it was designed for charts rather than be anything authentic.
Last Night On Earth
It's hard to decipher whether or not this album will raise Ava Max's profile, how much of it will we remember after a bit of a burnout after the start. This song takes from the old pop cliche of it being the last night on Earth. Ava fails to offer anything interesting to this concept.
Dancing's Done
A strange synthetic texture hangs over the song, Ava describes wanting to give into temptation. A song that sees her wondering where to go next, she's hitting it off with someone and in need of a getaway. For an album closer it isn't too memorable by any stretch.
In summary, after a bright start, 'Diamonds & Dancefloors' limply blows out like a sparkler. The early tracks 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'Maybe You're The Problem' are genuinely a lot of fun and the most playful takes Ava has on the heartbreak on the dancefloor concept. In the end, it gets bogged down by uninspired lyrics and a sonic palette that seems all too familiar track by track. It's hard to determine whether this will rise Ava Max's profile much from the viral high of her most successful single.
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