There’s something about Antony Szmierek’s music that simply seems to connect. CLASH trailed the Manchester teacher turned rave poet at Glastonbury last summer, and we were met by colossal crowds at every turn. With Worthy Farm falling under his spell, that radiant weekend served as notice that something special was happening.
Debut album ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’ is in turns funny, heartbreaking, revelatory, tongue-in-cheek, realistic, and surreal. It moves from hyper-local reference points – so Stockport has a pyramid, seemingly – to universal truths, melting together a passion for words and an awareness of the transcendence rave culture can have. Verbose without taking itself too seriously, it’s easily one of the most straight-forwardly enjoyable debut albums you’ll hear in 2025.
Starting with the undulating, tech-edged synths of the title track, this is a record that strives for connection and thrives on immediacy. ‘Rafters’ perfectly captures the fluttering truths exposed by the rave experience, while ‘Big Light’ grapples with matters of the heart (with a gospel backing, of course).
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There’s a wonderful breadth to the musicality on display here. ‘Crumb’ thrives on a disco bassline worthy of Chic, ‘Take Me There’ conjures visions of rave juggernauts Underworld, while the adorable ‘Angie’s Wedding’ is rooted in some fantastic after-hours electronica.
It’s fun, too. ‘Yoga Teacher’ is hilarious, ‘The Great Pyramid Of Stockport’ uses a little-known local landmark as a launchpad, and ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Fallacy’ remains one of the best song titles you’ll discover.
On the surface, it shouldn’t work this well. Rave meets indie with spoken word is a path riddled with pot holes and obstacles, but somehow the material on here coalesces perfectly around Antony Szmierek’s delivery. There’s a warmth to the record that is undeniable, hinging on the sense of character in those words. Revealing, often beautiful, ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’ has a heart of gold.
8/10
Words: Robin Murray
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