she’s got claws

With a sound that melds ominous synth textures with effect-driven bass guitar, yet simultaneously leaves space for sparkling, transcendent pop hooks, She’s Got Claws haven’t let a pandemic stand in the way of a fierce new record, co-produced by OMD legend Andy McCluskey

All photos by: Oten Photography

> Propelled by a wide-ranging passion for retro synth-pop, industrial rock and 90s electronica, Hull-based duo She’s Got Claws have been rapidly gaining plaudits and fans, enamoured by the pair’s intense dark sound and glam-recalling aesthetic. From her home studio, vocalist, producer and frontwoman, Micci Lou, has been making music in this guise since 2011, initially as a solo electronic project, and now paired with longtime friend and accomplished bassist Chris O-Ten.

Last year, despite the pressures of lockdown, She’s Got Claws’ third album Doppelgänger was completed and released on solo label SGC Productions. Impressively, it featured two tracks that were guest-produced by OMD figurehead and industry titan Andy McCluskey, his interest piqued by the unique aural character of this ferociously independent outfit. We caught up with the duo to find out more about the process of crafting their last record, managing every aspect of their identity, and keeping focus in an often overwhelming technological world.

cm: So Micci, can you take us right back to the beginning, and tell us how you discovered your affinity for music making and production?

Micci Lou: “Well, like many young girls, I always aspired to be a singer. I eventually got into singing for different producers on different tracks. I was really interested in how they used technology and equipment, at the time I was listening to a lot of people like Trent Reznor and The Prodigy, and wondered how I could get that kind of sound myself. I thought ‘well, why not just give it a go?’. So since then I’ve been making and producing my own music, I’m inspired by lots of different types of artists really and did a lot of reading about the process. It was just trial and error that led us to the sound we have now.”