Ed Sheeran announced – (To subtract), his new studio album and the last of the Mathematics era, which will be available on May 5 on CD, Vinyl and on digital platforms. An album that goes back to the roots of the artist, and that was born out of personal pain and hope, as we told you a few days ago, a few minutes after the British official announced it on their networks.
A work that presents one of the biggest stars in the world at his most vulnerable and honest moment after going through one of the most turbulent times of his life. And as it happens on these occasions, the interpreter was able to count on his lifelong friends, including his inseparable Taylor Swift.
This is how he revealed on his official profile on Instagram: “So in 2021 I got a message from @taylorswift to connect me with @aarondessner. She thought he and I would do something I have to be honest I was a little reluctant to work with him soon after folklore and forever because I felt it was a Taylor thing and the two were done so perfectly. we met for dinner, talked about life and music, and he promised to send me some instrumentals for me to write whenever the inspiration came” begins by explaining the English soloist.
“As soon as I got them I loved the whole vibe and knew one day I would write to them but at the time I was finishing what I thought was Subtract so I would put them on the second burner So, like I said in my announcement post, a lot of things started happening in my personal life that I felt the need to let off steam in a song and write about in a diaristic way. Aarons had the instrumentals, so I started writing, writing, writing,” he admits. Sheeran on the creative process of To subtract.
“It flew to the UK and we recorded it in a week by the sea, and it was the most amazing process and an album I’m so proud of. Thank you Aaron and Jon for the “amazing hard work and dedication you put into this project, and for bringing out a side of me that I had kept quiet for so long. And of course, thanks to Swizzle, as always, you’re awesome x” , concluded the musician.
– (Subtract) serves as a timely reminder of why Ed Sheeran remains one of the most gifted lyricists of his generation; an artist who breaks down his own experiences for fans to seek comfort and belonging. The album breaks with Sheeran’s typical songwriting structure and offers the depth of his career.
In February last year, After Ed and Aaron Dessner (The National) joined forces following the introduction of mutual friend Taylor Swift, Ed and Aaron began writing and producing the album in February of the ‘last year. Writing over 30 songs in a month, the album’s fourteen tracks are bound together in exquisite production, from folksy textures to bolder orchestral arrangements.