"Crash" received comparisons to his 2012 Grammy Award-winning single "Climax". Joe Lynch of "Billboard" called it "post-"Climax", saying "Ush, melding his masterful R&amp;B vocal stylings with the kind of subdued, moody electronics taking over airwaves thanks to Diplo". Christina Lee from "Idolator" wrote that "Like with “Climax,” this R&amp;B vet makes such vocal prowess — and vulnerability — seem easy." Dennis Edward from "Young Herald" described the song as a "pulsating banger that does exactly what Climax did hitting us with killer verses and then demure choruses." A writer from "Jezebel" wrote that in the song, "Spotlit is his gorgeous falsetto much as it was in “Climax,” with which “Crash” shares a sort of spot-the-hook sensibility—it seems to build from one pre-chorus to the next, teetering on the brink of a hook until you realize the whole damn thing is a hook." Sasha Geffen of "MTV" praised his vocal ability, saying it "soars to the very top of his vocal range, offering a beautiful falsetto chorus against lightweight, delicate production.