Manchester poet-producer Antony Szmierek has expanded his debut album Service Station at the End of the Universe with a digital deluxe edition, adding two previously unreleased tracks that showcase his knack for blending spoken word with dancefloor energy.
The deluxe version, released on 7 November via Mushroom Music/Virgin Music Group, includes ‘That Face You Make When It’s Raining’ and ‘Girlypops’, both of which add new dimensions to an album that’s already earned praise for its warmth and character since dropping in February 2025.
‘That Face You Make When It’s Raining’ features vocals from frequent collaborator Yves Jones and delivers what Szmierek calls “a northern take on UKG.”
The track combines loose rhymes and punchlines about rain and Vimto against the backdrop of a relationship argument.
“Actually written in the carpark of ASDA Hulme as far back as three years ago,” Szmierek explains, proving that mundane settings can spark creative gold.
The second addition, ‘Girlypops’, blends 90s indie sensibilities with Fat Boy Slim-style vocal chops to subvert traditional gender expectations around a ‘lads night out’.
The track originally emerged from the same recording session as album cuts ‘Crumb’ and ‘Crashing Up’ but lost its spot to ‘Yoga Teacher’ during the original tracklist selection.
“I wanted the album to feel almost like a compilation CD or mixtape in places, and I think this one nods to that feeling even more,” Szmierek notes.
Service Station at the End of the Universe marked a significant moment for the former teacher, who quit his day job after winning BBC Radio 6 Music’s Artist of the Year following his 2023 debut EP Poems to Dance To.
The album showcases his signature style of up-tempo reflection paired with darker lyrical themes, produced alongside collaborators Robin Parker, Max Rad, Louie Fulford-Smith and Jones.
The original 12-track collection received positive reviews from critics, with Clash magazine noting it “strives for connection and thrives on immediacy,” praising the record’s undeniable warmth and strong sense of character.
Both new tracks reinforce what makes Szmierek’s work stand out: his ability to find poetry in everyday British life, from supermarket car parks to nights out, and transform those observations into dance music that actually makes you think while you move.
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