 " Dive " received universally positive acclaim from music critics . DJ Booth described its production as " sultry " and noted the song as a potential hit for Usher . Erika Ramirez of Billboard also saw the song as a success , writing that it is " slower and more sensual " than Jim Jonsin and Rico Love 's " Motivation " ( 2011 ) performed by Kelly Rowland . Ramirez also praised Usher 's vocals , more specifically his falsetto , the reasoning to why " we fell in love with the singer to begin with " . Complex 's Brad Wete perceived the song as a " sexy slow @-@ winding cut " , that is " powered by Usher ’ s falsetto " . Ryan Hadfield of Consequence of Sound also praised Usher 's vocals , with " Dive " and lead single " Climax " showing his " superior R & B vocal range " . Pitchfork 's Carry Battan wrote that Usher 's " vocal mastery " allows him to turn the chorus of " Dive " — which she viewed as " cornball " — into something " more specific , as if he were addressing just one woman [ ... ] " . PopMatters ' Matt Cibula saw the lyric 's as " clever " for incorporating a triple @-@ entendre . Cibula further lauded Usher 's falsetto , which he wrote Usher sings in an " urgent " whisper . 
