Heaven & Hell — Ava Max

Heaven & Hell builds Ava Max's debut around direct pop hooks and a contrast between brighter and darker moods. “Kings & Queens” and “Who's Laughing Now” give the record its defiant, outward-facing character, with compact arrangements designed to reach the chorus quickly.

“Sweet but Psycho” appears alongside the newer material, placing the song that introduced her to a wide audience inside a larger set. Dance rhythms and clear vocal melodies connect the different sections. The album's strongest through-line is that sense of pop as a place to turn frustration into a shared refrain.