Manchester-born poet, writer, and producer Antony Szmierek delivers his highly anticipated second album, Decoding Birdsong, arriving just eighteen months after his critically acclaimed debut. This new body of work showcases a clear evolution in both sound and scope, rooted in Szmierek’s personal touchstones within electronic music. The album pairs expansive, immersive production with his trademark razor-sharp lyricism, moving beyond his debut's solo endeavor to brim with collaboration.

Album Themes and Collaborations

Speaking about Decoding Birdsong, Antony Szmierek explains that the record explores themes of choosing to believe in something, treating coincidence as a religion, and making one's own luck amidst loneliness and doubt. The album questions the consequences of luck and whether one should listen to external signs or only hear what they want to hear. To explore these ideas, the record features imagery involving a heron, dice, a plummeting airplane, the late-night TV show Aussie Gold Hunters, and a fibreglass replica of Godzilla.

This release is rich with features, including collaborations with Australia’s Pretty Girl, London band Los Bitchos, Bristol producer 1-800 GIRLS, as well as Imogen and the Knife and indie pop star Ellur.

Artist Background and Acclaim

Decoding Birdsong follows the success of his debut album, 2025’s Service Station at the End of the Universe, which propelled Antony into performances at Glastonbury, Jools Holland, and secured repeat BBC airplay. The former English teacher, who previously worked at a college for special needs students, gained significant recognition, including being named 6Music’s Artist of the Year in 2023 following his Poems To Dance To EP. His unique blend of spoken word and dance music often draws comparisons to artists like Mike Skinner, Jarvis Cocker, and John Cooper Clarke.

Key Features

• Second studio album from poet, writer, and producer Antony Szmierek.
• Features collaborations with Pretty Girl, Los Bitchos, 1-800 GIRLS, Imogen and the Knife, and Ellur.
• Explores themes of belief, luck, coincidence, and self-determination.
• Showcases an evolution in sound with expansive, immersive electronic production.
• Format: LP Record (Vinyl).

This vinyl release captures Antony Szmierek's distinctive lyrical style fused with evolving electronic soundscapes.