Messy Eater looks to uplift and find the positives in increasingly anxious times on his thoughtful new EP Comfort Food
Emerging in late 2024 and quickly establishing himself as one of the UK’s most exciting and creative rising forces, Pete Bott’s Messy Eater is an alternative pop project that has earned a plethora of acclaim for its relatable, observational lyrics and the catchy nature of his unique, self-produced sound. The artist’s latest EP Comfort Food is a collection of tracks that looks to continue to cement the artist’s status as one of the most fresh and exciting around, and is packed full of reasons to get on board with the project.
The EP opens with ‘Happy place’, a track with infectiously fun cowbell-laden instrumentation and an upbeat, charming feel to it that feels impossible not to get swept up in. With its palpable sense of euphoria and the adventurous and ambitious nature of the soundscape, the track immediately pushes you into the unique world of Messy Eater and sets the tone for the EP and the sense of escapism and liberating that the artist revels in.
Anxieties and second-guessing yourself are explored on ‘Learning to love myself’, a self-acceptance anthem for the digital age that pairs bleak imagery about endless scrolling and increasingly fraught times with the battle to give yourself a break and break yourself from the cycles of self-loathing and doubt that they can cause. The hooky nature of the sound and skittish beats make for a really fun time, while the spoken affirmations add another neat layer to the track.
There is a stylish slickness to ‘Vibe killer’, another track that addresses the angst and struggles that come with the constant communication of modern times and the way that somebody ready to put a stop your good time is always just a phone buzz away. The shifting nature of the track and its unpredictable, flowing feel make for some memorable moments, and the relatable urge to switch your phone off and just take some time off really hits home.
The relentlessness and all-consuming nature of life is a theme that comes up throughout the EP, and ‘Anything for an easy life’ is a track that continues down this path, making for perhaps the most resonating moment on the collection of tracks. The feeling of wanting to do whatever you can to be able to relax and enjoy yourself, happy with things being passable enough to get by and allow you to take it easy is one that sounds enticing throughout the track, and the laid-back beats and nature of the sound do a great job of reinforcing this sentiment.
The EP closes out with ‘Bad day (lemonade)’, a track that looks to find the positives in the bad and make the most of whatever you’re given, as a neat nod to the old “when life gives you lemons” adage. The fun instrumentation and easy-going nature of the sound evokes the spirit of artists like UK band Hard Life, and makes for an effortlessly warm and spirited release that sees the artist looking to find the positives and the silver linings in whatever he can.
On the whole Comfort Food is an EP that does a really great job of encapsulating a lot of the feelings and experiences that people are having, with issues like digital media, anxiety and positivity providing the crux of the release and making for narratives that feel intrinsically real and purposeful. The sound itself feels escapist and colourful, but the writing is rooted in reality and introspection, and this makes for a really memorable contrast that strikes a chord with you in multi-faceted fashion.
