Don't Click Play

There’s some heavy reverse psychology at play in Ava Max’s third album, from the fake petition posted on DontClickPlayOnAvaMax.com (which led to a snippet of an unreleased single) to Max’s bewildering disappearance from social media in the weeks leading up to its release. Cosmic-brain marketing strategy or otherwise, the “Sweet but Psycho” singer follows up 2023’s Diamonds & Dancefloors with 12 tracks that split the difference between ’80s synth-pop, ’90s Eurodance, early career Gaga and Blackout-era Britney. She toasts to blissful independence on “Lovin Myself” and “Sucks to Be My Ex” and goes blue jeans and apple pie mode (while channelling a-ha) for “Wet, Hot American Dream”. And over the title track’s four-on-the-floor thump, Max puts on shades, pops her collar and reveals the trollish title’s full meaning: “If you didn’t come to dance/DJ, don’t click that.”