On the bubblegum pink cover of his eighth studio album, Play , Ed Sheeran clearly lays out his goals for the project in a written message . “ Play is leaving the past behind. Play is colorful. Play is dancing. Play is nostalgic,” the mission statement reads. Can an album leave the past behind and be nostalgic at the same time? Ed sure hopes so.

On the opening track, aptly-titled “Opening,” the multi-platinum singer-songwriter draws a line in the sand and moves beyond the emotional struggles that were present on 2023’s − ( Subtract ) . In the process, he turns towards South and West Asian rhythms to create a fusion of dance-ready, upbeat pop songs that represent the bright disposition implied by the album’s title and cover. Yet, as promised, Play is also mainly stee

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