Illinois cult heroes C-Clamp were one of the most well-respected bands on Chicago's indie music scene in the 1990s with their blend of languid pacing, clear but cutting guitar work, exacting rhythms, and impressionistic and incisive songs. While there were elements of slowcore, math rock, and emo in their music, they never fully fit into any of those sub-genres, with the ingredients cohering into a subtly powerful approach that set them apart from their peers. C-Clamp released two albums during their time together, 1995's Meander + Return and 1999's Longer Waves; they were included in full along with rare singles and compilation tracks on the 2023 box set Dream Backwards.