Antony Szmierek Reveals Debut Album ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’, New Single ‘The Great Pyramid Of Stockport’

Manchester based artist and poet Antony Szmierek has announced the release of his debut album, Service Station At The End Of The Universe, which arrives on February 26th through Mushroom Music/Virgin Music Group. The rising musical talent has given us our first taste in the freshly dropped The Great Pyramid of Stockport.

Antony spoke about The Great Pyramid of Stockport: “Stockport Council abandoned plans for a Valley of the Kings themed shopping plaza, leaving only an empty pyramid behind. Nobody really knows what the pyramids in Giza are for. What we do know is that we’re not here long, and that the impossible is more possible than we think it is, motivationally speaking. That big blue pyramid serves as a reminder that human beings never really change – even if our pyramids are now by the side of motorways and full of office space.” Antony captures the mystery and comic tragedy of Stockport shopping plaza in a video directed by Zac Watson.

Antony made his name on the Manchester spoken word scene and tapping into all from the hardships of contemporary British life to finding the unexpected beauty in the everyday. Album release notes share: “It was the 2023 release of his single ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Fallacy’ that kicked off his meteoric ascent.  The earworming track soon found its way onto the BBC 6 Music airwaves and led Szmierek to be named an Artist of the Year 2023 by the station. There followed appearances on Later… with Jools Holland, a BBC Radio 1 Maida Vale session, multiple triumphant Glastonbury sets and a flurry of comparisons: to the pavement prose of The Streets, the poetry of John Cooper Clarke if he found himself at the Haçienda, or like Jarvis Cocker for the UK Garage generation.”

It continues: “The release of his 2023 indie-influenced EP Poems To Dance To and now his banger-filled, dancefloor-focused debut album, Service Station at the End of the Universe, Szmierek cements his sound as one that is distinctly his own. While the album provides a culmination of the deep dancefloor poetry that began with ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Fallacy’, it also showcases a new side to Szmierek’s writing, producing moments of downbeat, dark poignance. The album produces a cohesive and infectious journey through pop melodic hooks and thumping dancefloor orchestrations.”

Tracklist for Service Station at the End of the Universe:

1. Service Station at the End of the Universe  
2. Rafters
3. The Great Pyramid of Stockport
4. Big Light 
5. Yoga Teacher
6. Crumb
7. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Fallacy
8. passingthru
9. Take Me There
10. Restless Leg Syndrome
11. Crashing Up
12. Angie’s Wedding

Pre-order here.