**Album Review**
5 Stars: Inherently British yet wonderfully universal.
Reviewer: Ben Tipple
Released: 28th February 2025
Label: Mushroom Music / Virgin
To grasp the essence of Antony Szmierek, one need only consider the title of his 2023 EP, ‘Poems To Dance To’. This aptly captures the ex-English teacher’s growing fusion of rhythmic spoken word and dancefloor-ready production, creating a backdrop for reflections that range from personal relationships to obscure locales, balancing fantasy with stark realism. The sci-fi-themed title, a nod to Antony’s childhood favorite ‘A Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy’, which also inspired his breakout track, paves the way for mentions of local landmarks, from the towering Stockport pyramid to the North West’s traditional pub crawl, the Didsbury Dozen. This reflects his perspective on his environment, blurring the lines between the concrete and the abstract, inviting inevitable—yet warranted—comparisons to Mike Skinner's work. This theme is evident in the interlude at the service station, a transient setting providing the protagonist with much-needed stability. His connection to place anchors the otherwise lofty reflections, particularly the breathtaking stream of consciousness in the standout track ‘Restless Leg Syndrome’. This striking contrast between emotion and physicality is central to much of his writing, further exemplified in the album’s blend of poetry and quintessentially British genres like acid house, garage, and more. ‘Service Station…’ smoothly navigates this ongoing tension, offering a timeless representation of both physical and emotional ties to people and places; fundamentally British yet beautifully universal.
A kind of reflective time capsule, rich in sentimental worth.
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Essentially British, yet elegantly universal.