Laureate in waiting?

As is traditional, James compiled his Best of '25 for me just before Christmas and once again this year-end mashup is an eclectic musical smorgasbord which I'm finding most agreeable. I told James when he came up this weekend for his mum's birthday that I'm particularly taken with Antony Szmierek - so much so that I'm now also devouring his debut album Service Station at the End of the Universe which came out in February. It's an astonishing piece of work that ticks so many of my boxes, not least the artwork which depicts Forton Services in a snow globe!. I'm subsumed by his deft staccato vocal delivery - reminiscent of The Streets/Mike Skinner; imagine what Simon Armitage would sound like if only he'd got a beatbox for Christmas. 

Antony Szmierek - Service Station at the End of the Universe (2025)