Photo credit: Zak Watson
OUT NOW ON UNDERPLAY / LAB RECORDS
FEATURING THE SINGLES ‘HOW DID YOU GET HERE?’ & ‘THE WORDS TO AULD LANG SYNE’ PLUS NEW SINGLE ‘DANCE BETTER’
SHARES OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR ‘DANCE BETTER’
NAMED ONE OF BBC 6 MUSIC ARTISTS OF THE YEAR
“This track is hard not to have on loop” – Notion
“‘The Words to Auld Lang Syne’ is significantly viber than the classic NYE dirge” – DIY
“Literate and worldly wise, he also packs a punch – there’s romance, there, but also grit” – Clash
“he is being lauded as one of the leading lights of a new generation of truly captivating British songwriters” – The Line of Best Fit
Reflecting on the last twelve months, it’s fair to say that Antony Szmierek has been the subject of a deservedly meteoric rise – fresh from being declared one of BBC 6 Music’s Artists of the Year for 2023, making his television debut on Later… With Jools Holland and at the tail end of an entirely sold-out first ever UK headline tour, the Manchester based spoken word and indie-hip-hop artist has today released his new ‘Seasoning’ EP via underplay/Lab Records.
Speaking about ‘Dance Better’, Szmierek says “it’s for the reluctant two-stepper – is it possible to shake off the everyday irritants and Dance yourself Better? Do you literally dance better when you’re in a bad mood? A winter floorfiller evoking wet puffer jackets, damp smoking areas and UKG”.
And on the EP, he expands “Seasoning is about running out of time, moving through the seasons and trying to find those special ingredients that make the everyday feel worthwhile. Sometimes celebratory and sometimes introspective, it’s about holding onto the moment before the moment explodes”.
What started as poetry performances on small stages led to skillfully crafted melodies to accompany his words, and from there more songs. With the release of his debut EP ‘Poems To Dance To’ earlier this year, Antony was lauded as one of the next great British songwriters; a sentiment that continues to flourish as support for his artistry grows.
Fast forward to today and Antony is an A List artist on BBC 6 Music, performed live in session at Maida Vale for BBC Radio 1 as well as being playlisted as their Introducing Track of the Week, played to huge crowds at festivals including Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Bluedot, Truck, Lost Village and Down The Rabbit Hole, sold out his UK headline tour and performed on the coveted Later… With Jools Holland – a rite of passage reserved for only the most deserving of artists.
Elsewhere, he released a track with Jacana People ‘Twist Forever’, and had his single ‘The Words To Auld Lang Syne’ remixed by Porij, which has had significant DJ support from the likes of Sister Bliss, Oliver Heldens, Matin Garrix, Calvin Harris, Sasha, Carl Craig and Martin Solveig.
Szmierek wrote words before songs. Novels at first, of which he’s published two – but he realised what he wanted people to take from them was smaller quotes, or soundbites. So, gradually his writing became shorter and shorter, boiling down into short stories. With his art, Szmierek joins a host of contemporaries whose skill for crafting melodies and lyrics translate beautifully into both songs and written works.
For Antony, everything slotted into place when the pandemic hit and he bought an electric piano. It became the vessel for the words he’d been writing; a piece of kit to add atmosphere, smudging them with UK garage tones, and the feeling of heading out on Friday night to seek freedom.
What he does so well with his artistry is document incredibly specific details from his life, and others. It’s about making music that tells stories and makes him feel good. Having spent time working as a teacher throughout his twenties, he’s learned the value of “communities, people and empathy. All of these things I value as part of my personality now, I learned while teaching.”
LIVE SHOWS:
12 Apr – Band On The Wall, Manchester
13 Apr – Lafayette, London
“Absolutely brilliant artist to keep an ear out for” – Lauren Laverne, BBC 6 Music
“Little bit of Loyle Carner, little bit of The Streets, fresh out of Manchester” – Steve Lamacq, BBC 6 Music
“Wonderful duality in this song here” – Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1
“One of the best most original new things I’ve heard this year” – Chris Hawkins, BBC 6 Music
Tracklisting:
1. The Words To Auld Lang Syne
2. How Did You Get Here?
3. Seasoning
4. Dance Better
5. Rounders
FOLLOW ANTONY SZMIEREK:
