Lithops, so wikipedia tells me, are flowers which look like stones, existing on the boundary between warm and cold, between beautiful and brick. Lithops is also the side project of Jan St Werner, of Mouse On Mars, a band who hold a special place in my heart, being the first band I saw live after moving to London eleven years ago. Sometimes it feels like I’ve hardly had a night off since.

Ye Viols! is a compilation of tracks St Werner has put together for art installations in recent years, and as such, it is an extremely varied collection. It is always an experimental one, however, and as such, it takes its lead from the most recent Mouse On Mars album, Varchars. On the brilliant opener “Graf“, St Werner shows off the unmistakeably dubstep-influenced rhythm which he has added to his formidable arsenal. The pulsating tones of “Handed” are reminiscent of Jim O’Rourke’s electronic masterpiece I’m Happy and I’m Singing and a 1,2,3,4. Elsewhere, “Apps 2″ is all a-skitter while “Bacchus” is, appropriately enough, all a-whine. “Wammo” submerges its melodies deep within layers of abrasive noise, leaving “Sebquenz”, with its strident techno squelch as possibly the only piece which is unmistakeably Mouse on Mars.

Even without their accompanying drawings, collages and 35mm films, the pieces have enough depth and textural ideas to fascinate. By turns cold, warm, beautiful and brick-like, Ye Viols! makes itself pleasingly difficult to classify. Available early next year (2009! Where did that come sneaking up from?) from Thrill Jockey.