Messy Eater – Slowcoach (2025)
The brainchild of musician Pete Botts, Messy Eater resides in that musical world of “anything goes”. From hip-hop and boom-bap to country and the odd alternative-pop leaning, the UK-based artist is one of the more eccentric, mishmash melody makers I’ve come across. This might be my first taste of the Messy Eater’s sonic offerings, but he is already turning heads internationally, described as “delightfully chaotic and playful”, “breaking boundaries and defying expectations”, and “infectiously catchy” by a few notable publications. Along with the streaming fancies, Messy Eater is not mere ear-candy, but wins hearts with his quirky, intriguing and electric live shows. Join us as we delve into his latest release, ‘Slowcoach’.
Following his well-received EP, Starters, Messy Eater skips to the main course with ‘Slowcoach’ – one of the songs off his upcoming EP, Southern Fried. While ‘Slowcoach’ is as eclectic and eccentric as songs like ‘Work Life Balance’ and ‘Feels Good’, the single is completely alternative, highlighting Messy Eater’s diversity and originality.
A pivotal point in Messy Eater’s musical journey, one might consider the new single an evolution of Messy Eater’s style; however, could you really evolve if your particular style is entirely “anything goes”? Yet, a calmness exists in ‘Slowcoach’ as Messy Eater subdues the tempo, offering a slower, toe-tapping vibe, and leads you along a smooth sonic river. Kaleidoscopic in its delivery with a blend of blues guitar, shimmering synths, bold beats, and an enticing vocal harmony peeping from the back, ‘Slowcoach’ might be flush with colour, but there is simplicity at the core of the chaos.
As I mentioned, this track appears to slow things down as you step aside and amble down the lane of life, which is perfect considering its theme. While heavier, faster, and pulsating rushes of music greet me in Messy Eater’s back catalogue, ‘Slowcoach’ is about “…escaping the rat race for life in the slow lane.” A refreshing breath of air, Messy Eater soothes your soul in this track, but I am eager to see if this laidback tranquillity continues, or are we going back to mad rushes of music? Until then, I have ‘Slowcoach’ to enjoy while waiting for Southern Fried.
Find out more about Messy Eater on his official website, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more Americana music on The Other Side Reviews Americana playlist:
