Messy Eater releases new EP ‘Southern Fried’

York-based producer and songwriter Pete Bott has long been known for his creativity, jumping between projects like Deuce & Charger, Heads We Dance and Arkley, with each outlet bringing something wildly original. Along the way, he’s picked up praise from tastemakers including NME and The Guardian, but with his latest persona, Messy Eater, he’s found a new canvas where chaos is not only embraced but celebrated. It’s a project that turns pop into playground, piecing together mismatched sonic fragments into something dazzling, unpredictable and entirely his own.

Messy Eater’s musical world is stacked with exciting detours, drawing inspiration from the cut-and-paste style of Beck, The Avalanches, Gorillaz and Talking Heads, he treats each track like a patchwork of references, ideas and textures. The result is part pop experiment, part cartoon theatre, where lo-fi funk rubs shoulders with glitchy hip hop, indie sparkle and vintage samples, yet no matter how abrupt the left turns become, his instinct for pop appeal keeps the ride firmly on course.

Launched last October with the debut single “Feels Good,” Messy Eater immediately established himself as one of the UK’s most inventive new alternative pop arrivals. That momentum carried into his debut EP Starters, a whirlwind of stylistic shifts that showcased both his playfulness and his knack for sneaking big hooks into the sonic circus wrapped up in a sound that jumps from woozy grooves to glam swagger.

This year, after winning fresh attention with a debut live session for BBC Introducing and support from Apple Music, Amazing Radio and across the press, Messy Eater returns with his sophomore EP titled Southern Fried. Cooking up a colourful stew of dusty southern blues, soul and country samples, spliced together with 90s hip hop beats and Pete’s witty reflections on life in the modern age, Southern Fried takes the perfect snapshot of Messy Eater’s developing sound.

Opener “Slowcoach” brings a swaggering boom bap beat and a sampled blues guitar riff while his trademark filtered vocals glide above with expressive delivery to serve up a dose of pure musical fun. Smashing together a range of styles from country and blues to hip hop and synth pop, it’s a spectacular display of his grooving and highly memorable sound.

“On The Right Track” slows things down for a moment of reflection where softly snapping drums and soulful vibes shine before “I Think I’m Headed For A Breakdown” bursts open in a gleeful chorus of existential panic, spiralling into samples of self-help mantras, underscoring the absurd humour that runs through Messy Eater’s work. Catchy, unique and rhythmically bombastic, it’s a stellar cut that nods to the artist’s infectious songwriting and production flair.

With “Keep On (I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead),” the lively flash of bright brass leads, pattering percussion and bouncy vocal loops launches into an uptempo alternative pop jam that flows through charging danceable energy and a dreamy breakdown. Closing the EP with “All Out Of Time,” the delicate sweep of elegant strings is met by the pulsing of grooving bass lines and shuffling drums and slick vocals roll above to cast another upbeat bop that packs twists and turns threaded with Messy Eater’s catchy songwriting throughout.

With Southern Fried, Messy Eater proves himself not only as a genre-hopper but as a master of controlled chaos. It’s music that zigs where you expect it to zag, a collage of sounds stitched together with humour, humanity and savvy pop smarts, resulting in an impeccable release that’s sure to charm scores of new fans around the world.

Listen to Southern Fried below