Ed Sheeran’s eighth studio album, “Play,” released Sept. 12 with singles such as “Sapphire” and “In Other Words,” featuring songs with a variety of sounds. Whether it is the nostalgic sound of “Old Phone” or Middle Eastern and Indian influences present in “Symmetry” and “Azizam,” each of the 13 tracks present something fresh and just as alluring. None of the songs could be skipped—each has its own charm.

Many of these singles had their own moments in the limelight. “Sapphire,” popular among Indian and Western audiences, spent 9 weeks in the UK Top 10, first charting on June 19.

In the creation of this album, Sheeran set out to make something hopeful and new, in contrast to the heaviness of his previous album, “Subtract.” He aimed to be creative, selecting the most experimental songs from approximately 300-400 songs recorded. His recording process became international. He recorded some of the songs in Goa, India, collaborating with famed Indian singer Arijit Singh and traveling with him in the creation of “Sapphire.” He did a six-city tour in India in February with impromptu pop-up concerts, exploring each city he traveled to.

This influence is most present in “Sapphire” and “Symmetry,” with Hindi and Punjabi lyrics as well as Eastern instruments in the backing music (which is also present in songs more subtly like in “Heaven”). Featured in the music credits are the tabla, dhol, sitar, santoor and kanjira, providing notes of classic Bollywood music.

However, it’s clear that the tone and voice Sheeran took in this album is different—a fresh take on what we already know. “Opening” is a fresh start to the album with an apt title. Its rapping style is similar to that of his collaboration with Taylor Swift in “End Game.” The combination of this style with a more lyrical chorus is new but well done, with smooth transitions between the two different styles.

Then there are the inherently sad songs. “Don’t Look Down” documents the slow end of a relationship: “It’s almost over, don’t look down.” “Slowly,” in its ballad style, is peaceful but still sad: “…a life without you is not one I want to live.”

As expected there are the small nods to previous songs. “The Vow” with its wedding dance musical style as well as lyrics such as “And my vow to you is to love you and never let go” reminds one of mega hit “Thinking out Loud.” “For Always” is similar in story to “Happier” from the album “Divide” with a description of unrequited love from afar, with a hint to “Photograph” from the album “Multiply” as well. These ballads—as well as “In Other Words” and “Camera”—are calm, hopeful love songs which are comforting to listen to.

This soft tone is a big contrast to “A Little Bit More,” the fourth single off the album. It is angry and hateful, directed to a person Sheeran used to trust and love which changed with time: “I can’t call you crazy…’Cause you could be diagnosed.” The emotions rampant throughout the song are strong and unlike the other calm love songs featured on the album.

Beyond the individual stories told throughout the album there appears a theme of hope. Even in songs such as “Old Phone,” a story of feeling nostalgic, Sheeran sings about  “Growing up and moving on.” There’s the implication that change and improvement can lead to good. In contrast, “For Always” tells the story of being consistently there for someone: “I’m forever, I’m for always.” The final song, “Heaven” ends on the light, hopeful note intended for the album, where the narrator is “Falling in love all over again.”

Overall, Sheeran merges many voices, sounds, moods and tones to create one cohesive, but ultimately diverse, album. With earlier released singles being popular hits, and the other songs complementing both each other and Sheeran’s general style, the album is the perfect combination of old and new.