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Biography

In the sprawling landscape of American indie rock, few bands have managed to conjure such an intoxicating blend of dreamy nostalgia and sonic experimentation as Candy Claws. Emerging from the unlikely musical hotbed of Fort Collins, Colorado, this enigmatic duo carved out a distinctly psychedelic niche that would influence a generation of bedroom pop and shoegaze revivalists.

The story begins in 2007 when Ryan Hover and Karen Hover (no relation, despite sharing surnames) first crossed paths in the college town's vibrant underground scene. Ryan, a multi-instrumentalist with an obsession for vintage synthesizers and obscure Japanese pop records, found his perfect foil in Karen's ethereal vocals and intuitive approach to melody. Their early jam sessions in Ryan's cluttered apartment, surrounded by towering stacks of vinyl and analog equipment, would lay the foundation for what would become Candy Claws' signature sound.

Initially performing under various monikers, the pair eventually settled on Candy Claws in 2009, a name that perfectly encapsulated their music's deceptive nature – sweet on the surface, yet capable of delivering unexpected scratches. Their sound drew heavily from the dreamy textures of 1960s psychedelia, the shimmer of 1980s new wave, and the lo-fi aesthetics of contemporary indie rock, all filtered through a distinctly American lens that somehow managed to feel both familiar and otherworldly.

The band's breakthrough came with 2010's "Two Worlds Touch," an ambitious concept album that explored themes of parallel universes and childhood memories through layers of shimmering guitars, vintage drum machines, and Karen's gossamer vocals. The record's standout track, "Fell in Love (With the World)," became an underground anthem, its infectious melody and nostalgic production values earning heavy rotation on college radio stations across the country. The album's success was largely grassroots, spreading through music blogs and word-of-mouth recommendations rather than traditional industry channels.

Building on this momentum, Candy Claws released their magnum opus, "Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time," in 2013. This double album represented the full flowering of their artistic vision, weaving together field recordings, nature sounds, and their most adventurous songwriting to date. The record was conceived as a meditation on geological time and humanity's place within it, with tracks like "Transitional Bird" and "Fell Asleep in the Universe" showcasing the band's ability to balance intellectual concepts with immediate emotional impact. Critics praised the album's ambition and cohesiveness, with Pitchfork declaring it "a masterpiece of modern psychedelia."

The duo's live performances became legendary affairs, transforming small venues into immersive sonic environments. Using an arsenal of vintage equipment and carefully crafted light shows, Candy Claws concerts felt more like religious experiences than traditional rock shows. Their 2014 tour supporting "Ceres & Calypso" saw them playing to increasingly larger audiences, including memorable sets at SXSW and Pitchfork Music Festival.

However, success brought its own pressures. The intensive touring schedule and the perfectionist nature of their recording process began to take its toll on both members. After completing a final tour in late 2014, Ryan and Karen announced they would be taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue other projects and, in Karen's case, to focus on starting a family.

Though Candy Claws never achieved mainstream commercial success, their influence on the indie music landscape has been profound and lasting. Bands like Washed Out, Tame Impala, and Beach House have all cited the duo as influences, and their production techniques have been widely emulated by bedroom pop artists worldwide. Their approach to combining vintage sounds with modern sensibilities helped define what would become known as "chillwave" and "dream pop" in the 2010s.

Today, Candy Claws' three studio albums continue to find new audiences through streaming platforms and vinyl reissues. Ryan Hover has remained active in music production, working with various indie artists from his home studio, while Karen has largely stepped away from the music industry. Rumors of a reunion surface periodically on social media, fueled by cryptic posts and fan speculation, but both members seem content to let their remarkable catalog speak for itself.

In an era of disposable pop culture, Candy Claws created something genuinely timeless – music that exists outside conventional genre boundaries, offering listeners a portal to a more innocent, wonder-filled world that may have never existed but feels absolutely real