Music Review: Ed Sheeran returns to his roots on 'Play,' a cross-cultural playground

NEW YORK (AP) — Ed Sheeran has long sought to bring people together with his music, whether it be his emotionally resonant acoustic ballads or unproblematic, danceable pop hits. His eight studio album, “Play,” stays in that familiar lane, writes The Associated Press' Elise Ryan. Recorded throughout his “Mathematics World Tour,” the project feels split. Sheeran the hitmaker returns on parts of the project, including the addictive “Sapphire,” featuring Indian singer Arijit Singh. Other songs fall more in line with Sheeran's past projects, deviating little from the narrative songwriting toolkit that raised him.

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