Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1) is the second extended play (EP) by Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer Aurora. It was released digitally on 28 September 2018 and physically on 1 November 2019 by Decca and Glassnote Records. Originally a full-length album, she created the EP as the first part of a two-part album, the second part being her second studio album A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) (2019). Aurora enlisted producers Askjell Solstrand, Jakwob, Couros and MyRiot, aside previous collaborators Magnus Skylstad and Electric. Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1) was described as a pop, electropop and art pop record, though it also features elements of synth-pop, chamber pop, folk, experimental pop, and futurepop. Its lyrical themes were described as domestic abuse, global warming, connection versus connectivity, fear of intimacy, and empowerment. The EP received critical acclaim from music critics, who complimented Aurora's involvement in the production of the record as well as her progression from her debut album. Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1) was supported by the release of the singles "Queendom" and "Forgotten Love", which were released in April and August 2018, respectively. The release was a minor commercial success; it peaked at number seven in Norway and at number 191 in the Netherlands and was certified platinum in the former country. Even though the EP did not receive a nomination at the Spellemannprisen '17, the music video of "Queendom" was nominated for Music Video of the Year. Background and production When announcing the release of her debut album All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend (2016), Aurora said that it was "the first album of many" that she has planned. In an interview with Gigwise, she explained that because of most of the record was recorded a year before, its sound "feels very old" and that she had "to let things go;" she also said that the writing process of her following album had already begun. In October 2016, during a Facebook live stream, Aurora stated that she had fifteen demos and had written around a thousand songs to that date. On 30 September 2017, Aurora posted on her Instagram account that she began the production of her following album. Some of the new material was anticipated in several live performances, including festivals like Lollapalooza and Coachella. Aurora travelled to La Fabrique, a farmhouse studio located in southern France, to