Antony Szmierek returns with debut 2026 release ‘The Heron’

After weeks of teasing, Antony Szmierek is officially back, having just dropped the first track of his intriguing new chapter - a disco-flecked, sort-of-spiritual cut entitled ‘The Heron’. 

Although his lauded debut album ‘The Service Station At The End Of The Universe’ only landed last year, Antony is, as he confirmed in our recent In The Studio interview, already looking firmly ahead to LP2. 

And ‘The Heron’ is an apt re-introduction - featuring the astute lyrical observations and earworm loops that have become synonymous with his work, it finds Antony looking to the universe (specifically, our titular avine hero) for guidance amidst the period of uncertainty that followed his rise to public attention.

“Many of us are adrift in a world of short form slop and a punishing news cycle, but ‘The Heron’ provides a manifesto for survival,” the poet/producer has noted. “Patience, self-reliance, looping piano and relentless bass. The lyrics imagine the bird as a sort of preacher. An antidote to modern malaise and a reminder to enjoy the stillness as well as the dance. You’ll never be alone again, my love.”

Find out more about Antony’s as-yet-unannounced second album and check out the trippy Zak Watson-directed video for ‘The Heron’ below.