Lately, U2 are likely to take a very long time between new releases, and after they do drop one thing, they provide it a correct promotional lead-up. Not this time: At this time (February 18), the legendary Irish rockers shared Days Of Asha six-track EP launched to coincide with the Christian observance of Ash Wednesday.
One of many few friends showing on the venture is Ed Sheeranwho, together with Ukrainian singer Taras Topolia, options on “Yours Eternally.” Per a press launch, Sheeran launched U2 to Topolia, who wound up being the inspiration for the track, which was “written within the type of a letter from a soldier on energetic responsibility with a daring, mischievous spirit to match Ukraine’s.”
A brief four-and-a-half-minute documentary movie related to the track, directed by Ukrainian cinematographer and filmmaker Ilya Mikhaylus, can be set to be launched on February 24, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Per the discharge, “Shot in December 2025 whereas Mikhaylus and his crew had been embedded alongside the 40,000-strong Khartiya Corps, the movie captures the extraordinary every day lives of Alina and her fellow troopers preventing on the frontlines of the conflict.”
In an announcement, Bono says of the EP:
“It’s been a thrill having the 4 of us again collectively within the studio during the last yr… the songs on Days of Ash are very totally different in temper and theme to those we’re going to placed on our album later within the yr. These EP tracks couldn’t wait; these songs had been impatient to be out on the planet. They’re songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation. Songs of celebration will comply with, we’re engaged on these now… as a result of for all of the awfulness we see normalized every day on our small screens, there’s nothing regular about these mad and maddening instances and we have to stand as much as them earlier than we are able to return to having religion sooner or later. And one another.
‘You probably have an opportunity to hope it’s an obligation…’ is a line we borrowed from Lea Ypi.
Fun could be good too. Thanks.”
In 2021, Sheeran spoke about searching for recommendation from Bono when discovering out he was having his first baby, telling Apple Music’s Zane Lowe:
“I used to be like, ‘How do I navigate this into my profession?’ (…) U2 performed stadiums on their third file or no matter, and Bono was 28 and he completed his dwell tour at 29, after which had his first baby. (…) I used to be like, that is the one man I really feel like I might relate to. So I obtained in contact, then we had like a three-hour chat and he’s the sweetest man. And I’d by no means actually bonded with him like that. (…)
I don’t know what made him take the decision, however we’re form of having this chat and he was telling me about how he navigated being a father, like the place his children went to high school and the way they did tour and stuff like that. And I used to be simply sort of taking all of it in and he hung up the cellphone and we’d form of ended our chat. After which I went via a deep dive of U2 on vinyl. So I purchased all their data. I’d heard their data, however I’d by no means… it’s totally different sitting down with headphones, closed eyes.”
Hearken to “Yours Eternally” above and discover the Days Of Ash cowl artwork and tracklist beneath.
U2’s Days Of Ash Album Cowl Paintings
U2’s Days Of Ash Tracklist
1. “American Obituary”
2. “The Tears Of Issues”
3. “Music Of The Future”
4. “Wildpeace” (by Yehuda Amichai, learn by Adeola, with music by U2 and Jacknife Lee)
5. “One Life At A Time”
6. “Yours Eternally” Feat. Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia
Days Of Ash is out now by way of Island. Discover extra info right here.