+30mg

Following their termination from the New Zealand version of The X Factor in 2015, Teddy Sinclair and Willy Moon relocated to the United States. Over the year they began to experiment with music, ultimately resurfacing as Cruel Youth.[2] Their first release was "Mr. Watson", which was uploaded to the band's SoundCloud in February 2016. The song was later released as a single, following "Diamond Days", and a video for the single was released in June 2016.[3] Following the video, Sinclair announced the band would be releasing an EP later that year. On 7 September, the band released the single "Hatefuck" and announced the EP would be released on 16 September.[4] The following day, the official album art was released. In a statement to fans, Sinclair wrote:

Finally, after months of playing and perfecting, our EP +30mg is complete! And now we want you to hear it... With the EP comes our latest single, "Hatefuck", a buzzing ballad I wrote about some of my very lowest moments. Of all the drugs, love is the worst. It seems to come with a set of handcuffs but no key. Some people hit rock bottom, some people crash right through and keep falling down - that was me, and if what came out of it was this song then it was certainly worth it. I hope it means as much to you as it does to us.[5]

The EP was preceded by three singles. The lead single "Diamond Days" was released on 15 April 2016.[6] "Mr. Watson" was released as the second single on 20 May 2016.[7] The third single "Hatefuck" was released on 7 September 2016.[8]