"[12] Madeline Roth of MTV described the song as "a total '80s fever dream, marked by shimmering synths and Gray's quirky lyrics about a fickle ex who leaves him simultaneously amused and hurt.

"[13] In the BRUME-directed music video for "Maniac",[14] Gray and English actress Jessica Barden are working the night shift at the theatre/cinema before they fend off her psychotic ex-boyfriends who have risen from the dead.

[15] Roth said that the "cinematic" music video pays homage to horror classics such as Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Zombieland (2009).

[16] Helen Ehrlich of Affinity Magazine described "Maniac" as "an eye roll and a smirk" that is "retro, raw and rage-filled.

"[17] The song features "magnetizing pop synths, a stimulating dance-hall bass, and Gray's energizing vocals".