Fresh off the back of their surprise second album NATIONAL AVERAGE., Big Special are proving they have no intention of slowing down. The duo has just released “SLUGLIFE,” a raw, unfiltered burst of energy that premiered via Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music. It’s the latest in a relentless string of new music that follows high-profile moments like their Sleaford Mods collaboration and a recent B-List spot at 6 Music, further cementing Joe Hicklin and Callum Maloney’s status as one of the most compelling fixtures in the UK scene.
The track arrives as the band continues a meteoric rise that saw them go from a debut gig at Dublin Castle to a sold-out headline show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in just two years. Rooted in the stark honesty and razor-edged humour that the pair sharpened during lockdown, their music has resonated with a massive national audience. “SLUGLIFE” serves as a vivid reminder of the creative conviction that has carried them from total obscurity to the forefront of British music.
On the meaning behind “SLUGLIFE,” Hicklin says:
“A song about living low to the ground and going slow. Feeling guilt for needing a bit of time to pull yourself up by your boot straps. It’s about working through the self hate that can come through hard times.”
Despite the mounting hype and a growing community of fans, the duo remains firmly committed to the brotherhood and raw craft that started it all. By balancing the heavy emotional weight of lived experience with a sound that refuses to play it safe, Big Special are doubling down on the gritty, high-stakes storytelling that made them essential. With “SLUGLIFE,” they continue to carve out a unique space where social commentary meets a relentless, driving beat.
