BEASTIE's Second EP Filters Grime Through Bedroom-Pop and R&B
The South London artist's new nine-track project is spectral and grimly psychedelic, blending the tough, stoic sound of grime with introspective bedroom-pop and sensual R&B. Lead single 'Mitcham Mint' beautifies a run-down local pub with dream-pop guitars and sliding harmonies. The EP reflects on his coming-of-age in the reportedly haunted town of Mitcham.
BEASTIE, born Kamal Frederick in 1999, grew up in Mitcham, a South London area reputed to be among England's most haunted. His debut EP follows a self-released trajectory, with "Maria" arriving as his second project in 2026. The nine-track release draws on his teenage listening habits—Interpol, Frank Ocean, and Dev Hynes—set against the drill and grime favored by his schoolmates. Notably, his birth year coincides with Wiley's creation of "Eskibeat," grime's foundational sound, which he samples alongside the genre's other key track, "Rhythm & Gash." The EP's lead single, "Mitcham Mint," takes its title from a dilapidated local pub, transforming it through dream-pop textures and layered harmonies. Comparisons to fellow South London artist Jim Legxacy are frequent, as both filter regional sounds through introspective genres.
This release could signal a generational shift in how British grime is remembered and reinterpreted by artists too young to have experienced its peak. BEASTIE's approach may broaden grime's audience by merging it with bedroom-pop and R&B, potentially drawing listeners who find traditional grime inaccessible. His success could also encourage other emerging artists to explore personal, nostalgic angles on regional music scenes, though his sound remains formative and its lasting influence is yet to be determined.