Ed moves into a new season. Pre-add Autumn Variations now It was only in May this year that Ed Sheeran released -, an album inspired by the winter of the singer-songwriter's life. It was an outpouring, as Sheeran processed the death of his best friend, depression and anxiety—and the discovery that his wife had a tumour while pregnant with their second child. Just three months later, Sheeran is moving into a new season with Autumn Variations, a surprise follow-up of 14 tracks made alongside - producer (and Taylor Swift collaborator) Aaron Dessner of The National. After the stormy yet intimate songs on -, the cover of Autumn Variations hints that Sheeran is still navigating the aftermath of those world-shattering events but that, even if he isn't quite moving on, he is perhaps moving up. Because, as the hand-drawn images that make up the album art suggest, amid “heartbreak”, “moments of sadness”, “rough tides” and “bad news”, there are also always “moments of hope”, “friendship”, “serenity”—and the certain knowledge that, eventually, better times come. Watch the trailer for Autumn Variations now and pre-add the album to get the whole thing instantly once it's released.