In May 2017, Payne revealed that he had begun working on his first studio album.[3] He was working with Ed Sheeran with an expected release date in January 2018,[4] before it was pushed to 14 September 2018.[5] However, on 16 August 2018, Payne announced that he was delaying the release of his debut studio album and decided to put out an EP instead.[6] He also announced the release date of the EP.[6] He posted a message on his social media, saying:
"As you may know, the last few months have seen some big changes for me ...I looked at some of the songs on my album which were done a while ago and they felt from another age. I'm determined for my debut album to truly represent me.
I'm now back in the studio working hard to finalise the final few new songs on the record - I'm genuinely excited about the music I'm writing and recording and I can't wait for it to be ready for you all.
In the meantime, this EP is a collection of songs that I'm really proud of and want you all to hear... tell me what you think. As always, thanks for your support - it means the world to me."[6]
The EP contains four tracks, "Home with You", "Depend On It", "Slow" and the EP's lead single, "First Time".[7]
Critical reception
First Time was met with positive reviews from music critics. Chloe Gilke of Uproxx stated that the opening track "First Time", was Payne's "best iteration of club pop to date," feeling that "it could be a cut off Drake's Scorpion.[8] She also described "Depend On It" as a "lovely and heartbreaking ballad." However, she was critical on "Home with You" calling it "a bit of a snooze."[8] Patrick Hosken of MTV noted that the EP "is primarily a showcase for Payne's voice."[1]