Annie Smith interviews James and Christy from Among the Citizens

Although exam season is underway, a college-based band called Among The Citizens managed to find the time to come into the HCR104fm studio.

James McGonigle, drummer in the band, and Christy Hoyles, lead guitarist, joined me in the studio to chat about their sound and all things new.

Categorised under the intriguingly named ‘dreampop’ genre, you can expect immersive, feel good and distinctive tracks to sing out at a festival this summer. Released almost a year ago, their self-produced and released EP titled Unlearn You is one of the band’s proudest achievements. Having met on a music technology course, they developed the skills to create a professional and polished album. This caught the attention of Tim Willet, the manager of Off The Chart Records, who signed them to his label, helping them break onto the Cambridge scene. With a well-deserved slot on the Cambridge 105 stage at Strawberry Fair on June 2, supporting a Spotlight regular, Tom Lumley, the band has come far.

As discussed in the Spotlight studio, doing gigs across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire has not only introduced them to interesting people but has also got them valuable experience. If you want to hear alternative, fresh, and innovative tracks, this is the band for you.

Find them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/amongthecitizens.

Or on soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/amongthecitizens.

The podcast of their interview can be found at: www.hcrfm.co.uk/on-air/podcasts.

Annie Smith, presenter/producer on Spotlight on HCR104fm on Fridays, 8pm till 10pm.