Toby Furlong
I’m a writer hailing from the distant land of Norfolk. With a deep love for vinyl, currently standing at over 100 in my collection. When it comes to picking a favourite artist, it will always be the sounds of Trish Keenan and Broadcast.
‘SLUGLIFE’ is a bubbling track that rises through shimmering guitars, as it explores self-exhaustion.
The boys from the Black Country are back on the scene with the exceptional new single ‘SLUGLIFE’, a mystifying blues-tinged number that contemplates preservation and the need to carry on living.
The duo, energised from a hugely successful 2025 that saw the release of BBC 6 music favourite ‘PLAINTIVE NATIVE’, and fresh from Sleaford Mods collaboration ‘The Good Life’, continue to demonstrate their musical chops with ‘SLUGLIFE‘ an excellent opening statement to what should be an excellent year for the group.
The single is an arresting, bubbling, rising track that pairs the one-of-a-kind vocals of Joe Hicklin against a shimmering, acoustic melody. Lyrically the track explores themes of self-exhaustion and the energy needed to pull yourself off the canvas floor.
The vocalist describes the track as such: “…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.”
BIG SPECIAL are indie-outsiders, consistently offering an output that not many groups on the current circuit can match. One would be hard pressed to not view them as one of the late 2020’s most essential and urgent bands
Listen to ‘SLUGLIFE‘ here:
Catch BIG SPECIAL at the following:
13th February – Norwich, UK @ Waterfront
14th February – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms [SOLD OUT]
15th February – Newcastle, UK @ Digital
18th February – Leeds, UK @ University Stylus
19th February – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 Warehouse [SOLD OUT]
20th February – Manchester, UK @ New Century Hall [SOLD OUT]
21st February – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute [SOLD OUT]
24th February – Bristol, UK @ Electric Bristol
25th February – Southampton, UK @ The 1865
27th February – London, UK @ Roundhouse
6th March – Dublin, UK @ The Workman’s Club [SOLD OUT]
7th March – Belfast, UK @ Ulster Sports Club [SOLD OUT]
21st May – Derbyshire, UK @ Bearded Theory Festival
20th June – Glasgow, UK @ TRNSMT Festival
14th August – Hampshire, UK @ Boomtown Festival
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