Pitchfork

Supposedly, some anime films cause epilepsy due to their repeated flashing images. Guess that makes Mouse on Mars, the trio of Jan St. Werner, Andi Toma, and Dodo Nkishi-- who describe their brand of innovative techno as "epileptic music"-- the aural equivalent of anime. Their music is bright, pulsating, cartoonish, and liable to leave you jittery. For those of you who like to flout good health and warning labels, we are pleased to announce that Mouse on Mars will deliver a new album entitled Varcharz on September 12. The album will see release in the U.S. thanks to Mike Patton's Ipecac imprint.

Mouse on Mars produced Varcharz at their St. Martin Tonstudio in Düsseldorf. The album's title is a bungling of the word "wortschatz," which means "vocabulary." Got it, ja? Varcharz partially grew out of the sessions for 2004's Radical Connector, but promises to showcase the group's harder and more experimental qualities and call to mind its unpredictable live shows. And while it does not abandon the pop realm altogether, Varcharz-- unlike its predecessor-- features no vocals.

While Mouse on Mars have left the friendly confines of Thrill Jockey for Varcharz, they've not abandoned their old label completely. In fact, Lithops, the glitchy solo project of Mouse's St. Werner, will follow up this year's Queries (Sonig) with the release of Mound Magnet. The set arrives November 7 via Thrill Jockey. Tracklists for both Varcharz and Mound Magnet after the jump.

Lithops will also open a number of dates on Mouse on Mars' forthcoming tour, a North American jaunt with French DJ quartet Birdy Nam Nam that kicks off this November. Finally, MoM would like us to know that Germany's first female chancellor, Angela Merkel, has "bad mouth breath." Cheeky! Ponder that for a few months, and then get your jitter fix with live Mouse on Mars.

Varcharz tracklist:

01 chartnok
02 igoegowhygowego
03 Düül
04 Inocular
05 SKIK
06 hi fienilin
07 Bertney
08 Retphase
09 one day, not today

Mound Magnet tracklist:

01 Opposite of Windward
02 Cephalopod
03 Evacoda
04 Vortext
05 Stakes Barrier
06 Peek
07 Harpoon Point
08 Stratografic
09 Conturn

Mouse on Mars dates:

11-02 Los Angeles, CA - Echo Lounge *#
11-03 San Francisco, CA - The Independent *
11-04 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge *#
11-05 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey *#
11-07 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle *#
11-08 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center *^
11-09 Toronto, Ontario - The Mod Club *#
11-10 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa *%
11-11 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *#

* with Birdy Nam Nam
# with Lithops
^ with Hot Chip
% with Sixtoo