Big Special have shared a new single titled ‘SLUGLIFE’, continuing an unrelenting run of releases following their surprise second album NATIONAL AVERAGE.
Premiered on BBC Radio 6 Music by Steve Lamacq, ‘SLUGLIFE’ is a short, abrasive burst that captures Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney at their most pared back. There’s no polish, just repetition and momentum, with the lads leaning into a sound that feels deliberately claustrophobic.
Speaking about the track, Hicklin explains that ‘SLUGLIFE’ came from a place of exhaustion and self-reckoning. It’s about living low, moving slowly, and carrying guilt for needing time to recover. Rather than dressing that feeling up, the song sits with it, confronting the self-criticism that can surface during prolonged hard periods.
The single follows recent tracks ‘PLAINTIVE NATIVE’ and ‘DRAGGED UP A HILL (and thrown down the other side)’, as well as the duo’s recent collaboration with Sleaford Mods on ‘The Good Life’, which arrived with a stark one-shot video featuring Gwendoline Christie.
Big Special’s rise over the past two years has been sharp and uncompromising. From a single early release and a packed debut headline show at Camden’s Dublin Castle in 2023, the duo have gone on to sell out London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town and build a fiercely loyal national following. Much of that momentum was forged during lockdown, when Hicklin and Moloney reconnected creatively and reshaped their sound around blunt honesty and dark humour.
With a major UK tour beginning next month, ‘SLUGLIFE’ feels less like a detour and more like a statement of intent. Big Special are still moving forward, even when the ground feels heavy.
Live dates
February 2026
13 Norwich, Waterfront
14 Nottingham, Rescue Rooms SOLD OUT
15 Newcastle, Digital
18 Leeds, University Stylus
19 Glasgow, SWG3 SOLD OUT
20 Manchester, New Century Hall SOLD OUT
21 Birmingham, O2 Institute SOLD OUT
24 Bristol, Electric Bristol
25 Southampton, 1865
27 London, The Roundhouse
March 2026
6 Dublin, Academy Green Room SOLD OUT
7 Belfast, Ulster Sports Club SOLD OUT
Festivals
21st May Bearded Theory Festival, Derbyshire
20th June TRNSMT Festival, Glasgow
14th to 16th August Boomtown Festival, Hampshire
Tickets are on sale now.
