If nothing else, the '98 end of year round ups betrayed a dearth of exciting new music. What a year previously was only an intimation was rapidly becoming a consensus - that much of the music currently in the public eye has stagnated and the record-buying public's more inquisitive minds are desperate for something new ("Time for another recession?" - Simon Reynolds).

Feted in an infamous Wire magazine cover story ('Harder! Faster! Louder!' Oct 1998), Manchester's DJ Speedranch and Jansky Noise (the latter one half of the notorious V/Vm crew) are lighting the blue touch paper beneath the remains of the established music industry. Love them or loathe them, these two are provoking a welcome reaction, a kick up the arse of music.

Take an infamous London appearance, where their highly anticipated performance disintegrated in a barrage of projectiles and invective thrown by the audience - the sound engineer pulling the plug after just 15 bruising minutes. But while a number of disgruntled punters hurled abuse (some even demanding their money back), just as many found the event an exhilarating breath of fresh air, a cathartic blast of noise in an ocean of mediocrity.

Speedranch and Jansky Noise's first mix CD is a mash up of exclusive tracks by the likes of Stock Hausen & Walkman, 2nd Gen, Faultline and DJ Olive (from We); turntablists like Mix Master Mike; contributions from a host of other like-minded producers including David Shea, James Plotkin, Otomo Yoshihide and V/Vm; found sounds and blatant steals; as well as plenty of their own compositions.

This is the jetsam of millennial punk rock, a volcanic wake-up call. And it might leave you wondering if you're too old for this sort of thing...

special guest stars:
Stock Hausen & Walkman

also includes contributions by:
Bigroad Breaker
Byzar
Celluloid Mata
Lucky Kitchen
Mild Man Jan
Navicom
James Plotkin
Semiconductor
David Shea
Vomit Lunch
V/Vm
Otomo Yoshihide