British Pop star Ed Sheeran released a new album, Subtract ( – ), including a deluxe edition. The themes are love, hope, and grief.
The music is Pop. The compositions are impressive in tonalities, mixing 70s-style folk and contemporary sounds. The guitar throughout the album gives it a cozy and folksy feel. The record has diverse styles of beats that give it a musical richness.
The album has heartfelt ballads with beautiful rhythmic structures. The song Boat has a wavy rhythm that works well with the title and represents determination, hope and resilience. Salt Water has a lovely smooth rhythm, with occasional musical moments going up and down.
The piece Eyes Closed has slow and fast-paced moments representing mixed emotions, including sadness and the struggle to move on during grief. Towards the end, it increases in tempo, which parallels that feeling of the head spinning. Life Goes On has a folksy sound that parallels Irish folk music with a contemporary sound. The tune End of Youth starts with slow music to then boldly increases in tempo. The change of rhythms works with the shift from youth to adult.
The piano heard on some of the tracks gives it an intimate feel. The song Colour Blind has a beautiful piano playing in the background. Borderline is another incredible tune with an excellent piano that complements the contemplation feel. The music is relaxing. Spark has a fantastic sound, with lovely piano and guitar beats. The piece has Vega, a beautiful guitar sound that reminds me of Irish folk. Sycamore’s intense slow rhythm demonstrates various emotions, including stress and uncertainty. The song No Strings has a slow rhythm and upbeat sound, representing love and hope. The tune The Hills of Aberfeldy has a dynamic composition with music like Irish folk music, especially with the acoustic-style guitar.
The ballads have beautiful music with a lovely combination of musical styles.
There are tracks on the album that have a lively and, at times, cheerful rhythm. Dusty’s song has a lovely upbeat sound representing the happiness of living life and appreciating the little things. It’s a pleasant and joyful beat. The piece Curtains starts slow and then increases to an intense, fast-paced beat. It then goes into an upbeat sound. The song has a catchy, dynamic rhythm. There are impressive rap sequences.
The bonus tracks are a lovely addition to the Subtract album. The song Wildflowers has a great beat, fantastic drums, and a pleasant 70s vibe. Stoned has wonderful piano sounds with bold intensity. Moving has an excellent guitar sound. The upbeat sound represents joy and hope that it’s possible to move on. The acoustic pieces parallel the musical styles of the first album, + (Plus).
The compositions represent the stories and emotions. The music on the Subtract album is remarkable in the diversity of musical styles and rhythms.
Ed Sheeran’s voice is rich, dynamic, and constantly evolving, getting even better than the last. He has an impressive vocal range. The song Curtains is a piece where Ed Sheeran sings fantastic rap parts. He sings each song with heart and soul. He has a beautiful courage to share challenging life experiences through his music. Ed Sheeran sings gracefully and admirably.
The lyrics are deep and personal. The songs tell heartfelt stories, from losing a friend to spending quality time with family. The words are from the heart with beautiful poetic writing.
The album has songs about hope, joy and love. The piece Boat is a metaphor for having the courage to overcome adversity. Salt Water represents a magical feeling or the dream of the freedom of being true to oneself.
Some songs cover life experiences, including personal ones. The story of Vega is an emotional portrayal of Ed Sheeran’s personal life, including dealing with his wife’s illness. However, a sense of hope is present, like his genuine love for his significant other. The tune Sycamore is another profound personal anecdote about Ed Sheeran’s wife and her tumour diagnosis.
Dusty is a heartwarming song about fatherhood and appreciating precious moments with loved ones. Colourblind is a heartfelt metaphor that beautifully describes the essence of inner beauty. The tune Curtains represents inspirational courage to go out and see the world. It’s a metaphor for getting out of one’s shelf and comfort zone. Spark is a song about wondering if things will get better through hard times. Yet, there is a sense of hope that it will be okay. The tune No Strings is a beautiful and heartwarming love story representing perseverance and hope through the ups and downs.
The album also has heavier topics, such as losing a friend or a broken heart. The song Eyes Closed is about Ed Sheeran mourning the loss of his friend and mentor, Jamal Edwards. It describes grief and the struggle to continue living life. The piece Life Goes On is a touching song about learning to move on during hard times, like a storm. However, there is a sense of hope. End of Youth is a heartbreaking story about anxiety and mental health. It also describes how youth is a hopeful time but then fades as one grows up into adulthood. The song is open and expressive, giving it genuine vulnerability and humanity. The piece The Hills of Aberfeldy is a sad song about losing a chance at love, full of heartbreak and sorrow. It is well-written with rich poetry.
The bonus songs are remarkable and add a dynamic touch. Wildflowers is a heartfelt song about discovering and getting to know oneself – a personal journey. The tune has excellent freestyle poetry. Stoned is a profound song about feeling lost and confused. The raw emotions are genuine. Toughest is a heartfelt song about Ed Sheeran’s wife and her cancer diagnosis. He honours his wife beautifully, describing her strength through challenging times. He also expresses his worries and stresses throughout the situation and a court case he faced. It’s a beautiful song. Moving is a post-breakup song that gives hope to those dealing with this. It’s inspirational, and it represents resilience. It also shows that moving on and making peace with the past is possible.
The words have incredible depth – full of heart and soul, talking about personal topics with emotional openness, genuine and human.
The album Subtract ( – ) is available.
