A L B U M
Ed Sheeran Equals
R E V I E W S A lot has changed in the life of pop-king Ed Sheeran. And with all this change comes a new set of observations about love, life, personal growth and grief, which all loom large across the singer’s latest album, ‘=’. It begins with the album’s opener ‘Tides’, with the first words tumbling out of Sheeran’s mouth: “I have grown up, I am a father now / everything has changed, but I am still the same somehow”, the singer declares in the opening seconds of Equals, an explosive arena hit about how life and its many changes. Next to it, love - a popular topic for the singer - is yet again a dominant theme on the record. Thanks to its various musical ups and downs, the rollercoaster ride of an album jumps between showing the singer as the everyman and the famous celebrity, the guitarist and the producer, between the humble pop savant and the brash stadium-filling star. Moving between intimacy and pure grandness, ‘=’ abandons all uncertainty and once again proves Sheeran as the innovator in the truest sense, with his typical lyrical magic and instantly definable Sheeran-ness, which never fails to touch millions of lives.
Label: Asylum Records UK
AREA21 Greatest Hits Vol. 1
by Laura Weingrill
Over five years after AREA21’s first outing, they have finally officially introduced themselves to the world as two aliens in extravagant masks with their highly anticipated album, ‘Greatest Hits Vol. 1’. Fun, human, and utterly addictive, the 12-track release takes talents from both Garrix and Maejor and allows them to shine in equal parts. While Dutch star Garrix’s mixing and mastering are heavy, singer-songwriter Maejor comes in with his cool lyricism that brings it all together. It’s a perfect mix that shines in the production explored, from the first note until the last. Take the song ‘Mona Lisa’ as an example - a stylish, urban-infused dance hit. Or ‘Followers’, a track that is a bit rougher around the edges and questions our relationship with social media. It’s what makes this record so surprising, with its poignant view on current events. While songs such as ‘Pogo’, ‘21’ and ‘La La La’ shine thanks to their pure, unfiltered fun, other tracks like ‘Human’ and ‘Time Machine’ feel very personal and humble. Finally, the album’s explosive closer ‘Going Home’ even features a kids choir from a local school in Amsterdam and stands as the aliens’ “farewell” to Earth with a promise to come back another day.
Label: STMPD RECORDS
Silk Sonic An Evening With Silk Sonic
Label: Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Recording Corporation
by Laura Weingrill
‘An Evening With Silk Sonic’ begins with an introduction from former Parliament-Funkadelic member Bootsy Collins: “Fellas, I hope you got somethin’ in your cup. And ladies? Don’t be afraid to make your way to the stage for a band that I named Silk Sonic.” The opening track is the album’s lead single ‘Leave the Door Open’ that was released back in March of 2021 and perfectly sets the tone for the entire album – silky string arrangements mixed with gentle piano and influences of ‘70s rhythm and blues. Melodically, ‘An Evening with Silk Sonic’ is an ode to classic Motown with a lyrical twist, especially when it comes to songs like ‘Fly As Me’, that oozes Mars’ player personality. Silk Sonic successfully created a revival of an old, well-known aesthetic without leaning too far into clichés and instead indulged in a musical culture while staying true to themselves as artists. The only disappointing thing about the album is its length, as it is only about half an hour-long, but we are hopeful to hear more from the duo soon. by Vicky Madzak 16
