Occult phenomena is the lyrical and visual backdrop to this album of dance floor treasures. Previously just a solo project by Jona Bechtolt, the addition of vocalist Claire L. Evans has doubled the membership of YACHT (Young Americans Challenging High Technology). See Mystery Lights was named after the eerie Marfa ghost lights which appear near the studio where they recorded. The songs sometimes veer into the existential, but mostly stick to repeated lyrics on top of jumpy beats, Krautrock synths, staggered vocals and very liberal use of delay. An example of this contrast can be heard between the album opener Ring The Bell which asks, “Will we go to heaven or will we go to hell? It’s my understanding that neither are real” and It’s boring / You can live anywhere you want which repeats the word “boring” until it actually drills a hole in your brain.

Published in Volume 64, Number 5 of The Uniter (October 1, 2009)