Review
In the wonderfully peculiar world of "Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time," Candy Claws defies the temporal with a narrative journey bridging the ancient earth with transcendent sound. The concept centers on the extraordinary bonds of Ceres, a seal-like creature, and her human companion Calypso, as they traverse the fascinating Mesozoic Era. This adventure, unfurling through the cascading Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, touches upon themes of friendship and environmental reverence, reminiscent of the profound exchange between Rachel Carson and Dorothy Freeman.
Sonically, the album is a kaleidoscope—a stellar fusion of shoegaze, indie pop, and neo-psychedelia, peppered with hints of Spaghetti Westerns, surf rock, and Tropicalia. This innovatively complex soundscape entangles the listener within dense textures of instrumentation, complemented by delicate, hushed vocals and surfy guitars, curating a mesmerizing mélange that's both expansive and somewhat intimate. Every note seems to play its part in mimicking the ancient earth's grandeur, incorporating experimental production flourishes that emulate time suspended across the aeons.
In tales spun through tracks like "White Seal (Shell and Spine)" and "Transitional Bird (Clever Girl)," the band breathes life into enchanting narrations capped with its dreamy hinterland sound. Meanwhile, "Illusion (Fern Lake)" delves into theatrics using dramatic synthesizers and intriguing lyrics, immortalizing timeless instincts of survival and adaptation. Capping it all off, "Where I Found You (One Star)" tugs gently at existential themes, inducing a sense of hope and continuity amidst life's cyclic rhythms and the endless wonders of extinction. Acclaimed for its progressive essence and multifaceted compositions, "Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time" embosses its exceptional identity within the dream pop orbit, standing as a pioneering masterpiece before the members voyaged onto their next chapter with their following ensemble, Sound of Ceres. - Miles
