A versatile, unconventional debut that’s way more than “Sweet but Psycho”

To many, the asymmetrical-haircut-sporting Albanian American free spirit Ava Max (born Amanda Koci) is known for “Sweet but Psycho”, 2018’s inescapable, uptempo club hit that thrust Eurodance—and a feminist reclamation of being called “crazy”—onto pop radio. Max was like an early Lady Gaga reincarnate, an unconventional superstar in the making, introducing electro-pop staccato synth to the masses. But don’t let that fool you: On her debut album, Heaven & Hell, Max showcases a versatility well beyond anything that could label her a one-hit wonder. Every track is proof, like the disco drama of “OMG What’s Happening”, or the vaudevillian pop of “Take You to Hell”, or the charming echoes of “Cool”-era Gwen Stefani on “So Am I”.