She dances on the line between clever self-referentiality and less inspired rehashing on her new LP, committing to the over-the-top excess that first made her a star.

“Mayhem” is a shiny pop-rock album chiefly produced by Gaga, Andrew Watt and Cirkut. From the Super Bowl teaser of the “Abracadabra” music video to the award-winning duet with Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile,” the buildup to Gaga’s seventh studio album stoked anticipation — would this be the long-awaited return of Gaga?

For those who have wanted the old Gaga back, her new album is a nostalgia trip that completes the journey after the 2020’s pandemic-plagued “Chromatica.”