April 2026 saw NE1 drop his WIMTB (What It Means To Be) EP, clocking in at 25 minutes across 8 tracks, the oldest of which him and 6FS have been working on since 2021.
This is melancholy, car-friendly music suited towards those with an ear for colourful sonics and introspective poetry. If you imagine a Venn diagram with spoken-word, R&B and hip-hop, then WIMTB would be smack bang in the centre. It is the perfect accompaniment to night-drives and workouts as much as it is to a stroll in the park.
Guest appearances from fellow artists Flora, Big Sattz, Dee Grant, DJ Hempz and Dr K pepper the project, recorded across various sessions at 6FS’ Berkshire studio. Sonic experimentation played a large part in the creation of this EP: a good example is ‘No Longer Hide’, where you can hear a squeaky voice contrasting NE1’s lead – no chipmunks entered the studio, instead the magic of Pro Tools added a healthy dose of fun to the mix.
Worst of Me, the track that was 5 years in the making, is a song about strained family relations. The moody instrumental features a colourful array of guitars played in by Dr K, and here’s a fun fact: the guitars feeding back at the very end of the track are the original ones recorded in Leeds in 2021! K also jumps on the mic to introduce Lovers Will Say, which is one of the two tracks guest singer Flora graces with her voice.
The whole project has a very personal tone to it, with a tasteful selection of voice notes making the songs feel like conversations. Oh Please starts off with a recording of NE1’s dad speaking in Urdu, setting the scene by saying that if there’s one thing you can do, control your anger. You’ve then got three excellent verses by three different artists, plus Big Sattz on melodic duties.
Have a listen to the EP for yourself and enjoy!
“Life never came with instructions or a manual,
Tried to build esteem, accidentally dismantled,
Every part of me that could have easily been handled,
Never thought the hardest hearts could have a mind so fragile.”
– Worst of Me
