The Mystery Lights

Based in New York after beginnings in California, The Mystery Lights craft a garage rock tinged with psychedelia that draws heavily on 1960s sounds. Built around Mike Brandon and L.A. Solano, who first met as teenagers in Salinas, California, the band solidified after relocating to Brooklyn, where they became part of a network of independent clubs and small rock venues. Signing to Wick Records, a Daptone imprint, marked a turning point with the release of the self-titled album The Mystery Lights in 2016, which established a direct sound centered on repetitive riffs, saturated guitars, an ever-present organ and slightly hoarse vocals, reminiscent of classic garage compilations. In 2019 The Mystery Lights released Too Much Tension!, also on Wick Records, a second album that introduced darker hues and post-punk-like tensions while retaining a simple, immediate songwriting approach. Regularly touring the US and Europe, including festivals such as SXSW, The Mystery Lights favor a compact lineup built for live performance and continue to explore the intersection of raw garage rock, stripped-down psychedelia and the energy of New York's independent scene.