Ava Max - Don’t Click Play
The samples are gone. Does that help?
Ava Max has felt for a long time like a musician trapped in a vicious cycle. On one hand, her music has felt stagnant. On the other, despite that, it still has done well when it came to streaming numbers and air play; thus, there was no reason for Max to leave this controversial, but successful style behind. Her new album, Don’t Click Play, continues to move away from the abundant use of classic songs that many have grown to associate with Ava Max - there isn’t a single notable sample or interpolation on the record. However, beyond that, she still hasn’t really evolved.
The first thing that stands out about Don’t Click Play, which became evident fairly early on in the album, is that it is very similar to Max’s previous album, 2023’s Diamonds & Dancefloors - “World’s Smallest Violin” was even first recorded for that album back in 2021. Most of the tracks on this record are innocuous, unobjectionable dance pop songs, with some catchy moments and decent hooks and melodies. However, looking beyond the surface is where the main problem with Ava Max as a musician lies.
Nothing about Don’t Click Play feels all that new or interesting. There’s songs on this LP that could’ve been made by Lady Gaga, Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa, Tate McRae and other artists - in fact, “Fight For Me”, which lists Ryan Tedder as a co-writer and producer, incorporates melodies from an unreleased demo originally recorded by Tedder and Amy Allen for Tate McRae in 2023. And it doesn’t feel like Ava Max brings enough personality to the table to make these songs her own. Her music isn’t as soulless as someone like Alex Warren, but there’s still very little heart to it.
The situation isn’t improved either by the fact that the album is largely very overproduced. The excessive gloss and compression on a lot of the instrumentation makes it feel thin and flat, and the vocals sometimes feel like they dominate and overwhelm many of the mixes. The songwriting that Ava Max puts forward isn’t particularly memorable, either - it mostly feels like vague sentiments and general platitudes; and, in the moments where it does seem more personal, the subject matter is not very compelling, focusing on negative public perception of her and her music, which is a topic that can often end up coming off as petty and bitter, and is not relatable to the average listener.
The one major highlight of the record is “Lost Your Faith”. This track incorporates significant rock elements, and feels more interesting musically than those around it. While the writing is still quite general and a bit clunky with its religious metaphors, it’s still a fun listen. Ultimately though, it’s far from enough to salvage the project.
In conclusion, though the era of extremely obvious sampling may be behind her, Ava Max still feels more like a cynical professional than an artist. She knows what music performs well for her, and she sticks to it, without any large-scale attempts to evolve or branch out. As such, Don’t Click Play is an album that exists to get background streams and radio plays, and not much more than that. Though it’s perfectly listenable and inoffensive on paper, the album’s title ironically asks you not to listen - and honestly, you won’t be losing all that much if you don’t.
4.5/10
