Antony Szmierek

The poet, writer, and producer from Manchester Antony Szmierek has delighted fans with the digital deluxe release of his acclaimed debut album, Service Station at the End of the Universe.
Originally released earlier this year to a wave of five-star reviews, the expanded edition includes fan favorites — The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Fallacy, The Great Pyramid of Stockport, Yoga Teacher, and Angie’s Wedding — along with two brand new tracks: That Face You Make When It’s Raining and Girlypops.

Service Station at the End of the Universe is a bold fusion of dancefloor euphoria and introspective storytelling. Co-produced by Szmierek alongside his longtime collaborators — Robin Parker, Max Rad, Louie Fulford-Smith, and Yves Jones — the album is a tightly crafted collection of dancefloor poetry, punctuated by moments of deep, melancholy introspection.

Every single released from Service Station at the End of the Universe has been playlisted by BBC 6 Music and received strong support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, and Apple Music 1.
Following the album’s release, Antony appeared on the cover of Dork (also featured in their Hype List), was named one of the Ones to Watch by The Observer, and was the subject of a two-page feature in The Observer Magazine. He has also been highlighted multiple times by major publications such as The Guardian, NME, DIY, Clash, and Notion.

The past few years have been a truly turbulent journey for the artist. After cutting his teeth in Manchester’s spoken word scene and gaining recognition for his impeccable flow — able to tackle everything from the struggles of contemporary British life to the unexpected beauty of small everyday moments with sharp wit — it was the release of the single The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Fallacy in 2023 that marked the beginning of his rapid rise.

Over a backdrop of powerful four-on-the-floor beats and club-ready synths, Szmierek unleashes a stream of consciousness that captures his vision of musical vulnerability and collective escape: “Everything’s ironic now, post-post-punk. Take me away,” he says in the track.

The catchy, infectious track soon found its way onto the airwaves of BBC 6 Music, leading the station to name Szmierek Artist of the Year 2023. From there came appearances on Later… with Jools Holland, a BBC Radio 1 Maida Vale session, several triumphant performances at the Glastonbury Festival, and a wave of comparisons: from the streetwise prose of The Streets, to the poetry of John Cooper Clarke as if he’d stepped into the Haçienda, all the way to Jarvis Cocker for the UK Garage generation.

And yet, with the release of his indie-influenced 2023 EP Poems To Dance To, and now with his hit-packed debut album Service Station at the End of the Universe, Szmierek solidifies a sound that is unmistakably his own.