Description

Ed Sheeran has announced details of his new album = (Equals), confirmed for release on 29th October through Asylum Records.= – the fourth instalment in Sheerans symbol album series – is Eds most accomplished work yet; the evolution of an artist who continues to tread new ground. A body of tracks that were made over a four-year period following his seminal (Divide) album era, thematically, = finds Ed taking stock of his life and the people in it as he explores the varying degrees of love(The Joker And The Queen, First Times, 2step’), loss(Visiting Hours), resilience(Cant Stop The Rain) and fatherhood(Sandman, Leave Your Life), while also processing his reality and career(Tides). Sonically, = encapsulates Eds versatile musical palette, spanning signature, guitar-led tracks and world-class balladry to weightier, euphoric production moments, as first showcased on this summers emphatic comeback track,Bad Habits.Embracing Eds own truths, = seamlessly captures both the intimate and every day; elevating universal experiences to a higher plane as reflected byVisiting Hours – a track that finds Ed coming to terms with the loss of his mentor and friend, Michael Gudinski, and written shortly after his passing:I wish that heaven had visiting hours / So I can just swing by and ask your advice. Performed for the first time at Michaels state memorial in March, the poignant track, which is joined by a stripped performance video and features backing vocals from Michaels close friends, Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes.Written and recorded across Suffolk, London, Sweden and LA, the albums executive production comes from Ed Sheeran, FRED (No.6 Collaborations Project) and Johnny McDaid (Divide), with additional writing and/or production provided by Steve Mac, Joe Rubel, Amy Wadge, Foy Vance, Elvira Anderfjard, David Hodges, Andrew Watt, Lou Bell, Natalie Hemby and Ben Kweller. Sheerans brother, Matthew, a composer, also contributes stunning string arrangements onFirst Times andThe Joker And The Queen. The album artwork is a vivid collage of butterfly imagery symbolising the albums thread of new life and is backdropped by one of Eds own abstract paintings.Ed Sheeran commented -= (Equals) is a really personal record and one that means a lot to me. My life changed greatly over the past few years – I got married, became a father, experienced loss, and I reflect on these topics over the course of the album. I see it as my coming-of-age record, and I cant wait to share this next chapter with you.