Following our recent interview with Messy Eater (aka Pete Bott), he returns with his four-track EP, titled Starters. Like a smorgasbord of sonic entrées, this concise collection was born from the York-based musician, songwriter and producer’s formative years steeped in mixtape culture and multi-genre eclecticism.

The EP kicks off with the focus track ‘Shake It, Drop It’ and this unmissable ear-worm is the perfect introduction into Messy Eater‘s retro-fusion universe. With a danceable beat from the very start and quirky ’90s samples, there’s a sultry backing vocal instructing the listener (well dancer by this point) to “shake it, drop it.” It’s reminiscent of Mark Ronson’s mid-2010s productions, but with a much more contemporary tech-house edge. We were especially surprised the track’s breakdown in the last minute where a sudden change in tempo makes way for uplifting gospel vocals and recorded speech with the essential message that it’s “our time”.

With the record set in motion, the relatably titled ‘I’m A Mess Right Now’ comes in next. There’s some retro vibes once again with a sloping, Gorillaz-esque rhythm where subtle moody textures meet a bouncing bass. This balance reflects Messy Eater‘s honest confession of being a mess, but sung in a way that’s almost celebratory and definitely liberating. This freeing energy carries on well into the EP’s third single ‘Feels Good’. An instant dance-floor filler, a pulsating beat pulls you into the sultry ebb and flow of this dynamic track. It really is all about healthy hedonism here, with that wholesome ’80s synth structure and the unfiltered lyric “it feels good to me”.

The final course of this feel-good feast is ‘Work Life Balance’, which was our first introduction to Pete Bott‘s project. Here the synths get turned up to an eleven with jagged filtergate guitar and the artist’s strutting vocals added into the mix. That vibrant exterior almost hides the biting social critique at the heart of this thumping track, which Messy Eater directs at today’s workaholic culture. Even with that faithful depiction of reality, this EP still belongs in an otherworldly sphere of timeless beats, expansive synths and undeniably catchy rhythm.

Packaged up and ready to go, the Starters EP is a perfect listen to get your night (or even day) going.

You can listen to focus track ‘Shake It, Drop It’ in our Electro Feels playlist.

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