Samuel Virgo is offering the first look at his upcoming EP with “ICU,” a self-produced single that examines how narratives can distort people’s understanding of the world around them.

The Sheffield-born, London-based artist is expected to release the EP later this year. Virgo wrote, produced and engineered the project himself, continuing a new phase of his career after previously releasing music under the name Svirgo19.

“I wrote it about the way the world spins narratives, deceives us and hides the truth from us,” Virgo said of “ICU.”

The song was one of the final tracks written for the upcoming project and takes a more direct approach than some of Virgo’s previous work. Built around guitars and repetition, “ICU” moves away from extended storytelling in favor of a more hypnotic structure.

The upcoming EP draws from Virgo’s personal experiences while exploring broader themes including identity, relationships and growing up. Rather than assigning a fixed meaning to each song, Virgo leaves room for listeners to interpret the material through their own experiences.

Virgo’s music draws from indie, alternative, hip-hop and post-punk, with influences that include Fontaines D.C., Tyler, The Creator, The 1975, Twenty One Pilots, Steve Lacy, Blood Orange and Dean Blunt.

The EP also marks a continuation of Virgo’s decision to release music under his real name after several years performing as Svirgo19. The change accompanied a shift toward music intended to more closely reflect his experiences and identity.

Virgo has performed across the United Kingdom and internationally, including headline shows at The Finsbury and Temple of Art and Music. His other appearances have included Colours Hoxton, Camden Assembly, Notting Hill Arts Club, Next Door Records, The Fiddler’s Elbow, Off The Cuff, Made Festival and The Alternative Escape Festival, as well as BARE in Norway.

His previous work has received attention from BBC Introducing Sheffield, COLORSxSTUDIO, Glide Magazine, DMY and Ones To Watch. Virgo also contributed music to the soundtrack of the BBC Three series “Boarders.”

With “ICU” serving as the first preview, the forthcoming EP is expected to expand on Virgo’s genre-blending approach while putting his own production and songwriting at the center of the project.