As the title suggests, there's no overthinking or hidden subtext on
Demi Lovato
's ninth album,
It's Not That Deep
: this is a straightforward blast of dance-pop floor-fillers that immediately pleases the pleasure centers and gets the body sweaty and moving. Pivoting back from her
Holy Fvck
/
Revamped
hard rock foray,
Lovato
is back in her pop zone, a place that has always proven successful in the past. Coming hard and -- as the opening track makes clear -- "Fast,"
rarely lets up over its half-hour run, offering hit after hit of pulsing sonic dopamine. The frantic, synth-washed "Here All Night" is ripe for an '80s movie exercise montage, while the pounding "Frequency" could set an EDM festival crowd on fire. The shimmering "Let You Go" and "Sorry to Myself" give
Robyn
and
Carly Rae Jepsen
vibes, just as the skittering "In My Head" drifts into
Charli xcx
hyperpop territory. In addition to the standouts "Fast" and "Here All Night," the horny "Kiss" is a euphoric house escape that really solidifies this set as one of
's best works. Over in a flash, it's the perfect length to be repeated on a loop, extending the party through the night. ~ Neil Z. Yeung