Sean Quinn and Jason ‘Keltec’ Kelton have been two of Melbourne’s shiniest lights for well over a decade. Both can lay strong claim to being foundation members of what was to become ‘the Melbourne sound’, which went on to storm the world in the early 2000s. International focus may have shifted towards new hotspots of creativity, but the boys most definitely haven’t rested on their laurels.

Quinn must single-handedly keep Melbourne cabbies in business, holding down anywhere between four and seven residencies at any one time, as well as putting in six shifts a week for Kiss FM. And in what little spare time he has available, he turns out internationally respected productions with the likes of Kasey Taylor. Keltec on the other hand, also known as one half of Mortar and Pestle, got started playing alongside Phil K at the Sugar Shack in 1993. He became a leading figure in the Melbourne breaks scene, before shifting focus to embrace a range of different styles and influences. These days he juggles an IT business with regular gigs, original productions, the odd remix and an upcoming project involving members of TV Rock.

The Kiss FM Summer mix was born to celebrate the diversity of sound and experience abundant in the Melbourne clubbing community. With that in mind, the two discs can perhaps easily be separated thus: big room and side room. Or megaclub and underground lair.

Let’s start with the big room disc, mixed by Keltec. It begins with Copyright’s Wizemann, which features a semi-tribal beat and mature-sounding vocals atop a techy squelch, before working it’s way up to Funkerman’s remix of Kaskade, an extremely likable, if standard, piece of dance pop. Morgan Page shifts the mood down a little, before Luke Chable and TV Rock (in what would once have been described as an unholy alliance) combine for Happiness. Chable’s signature affinity for dreamy melodies remains barely visible beneath the huge piano house climax and Bob Sinclair-esque vocals. But let’s not dwell on that.

More crowd pleasin’ continues with the mellow Adam K and Soha remix of Kaz James’ We Hold On, Chris Lake’s tough and stylish Only One and Dirty Laundry’s instant party starter Hate Me. Mobin Master’s Show Me Love delivers a 90s style house vibe before the lukewarm, and aren’t-we all-a-bit-over-them?-ness of Sneaky Sound System’s When We Were Young.

Disc Two attempts to take us deep into Melbourne’s famed underground world. Sean Quinn is an ideal navigator here, having a deeply entrenched following both as a DJ and producer. He starts the journey well with the gorgeous husky vocals and warm, gentle marching beat of Bertie Blackman’s. Quinn doesn’t do a great job of building on this, choosing to follow straight up with another vocal, this time a disinterested Aussie bloke wailing somewhat mournfully atop a glitchy, desolate base. It’s all a bit much too soon.

More pared back tech ensues, featuring the likes of Booka Shade, Alex Kenji and Henrik Schwartz before a modicum of emotion returns by way of Funk D’Void, whose trademark gushy synths and confident percussion brings welcome relief after so much barren construction. By contrast, Smith & Selway’s Push Factor gets heads nodding and feet moving, with its excellent throwback to early 2000s prog. Probably the track of the disc goes to EDX’s remix of Sebastian Ingrosso & Laidback Luke’s Chaa Chaa, which purrs and growls in all the right places. Warm yet slightly sinister, slammin’ yet melodic, this track deftly incorporates all that’s great about house, tech and prog into one modest, hardworking little package. Quinn rounds out the mix with more of his beloved stripped down minimalism, before finishing off with the closer du jour, Pryda.

I may be alone in my dislike for the disconnected emptiness that typifies a lot of the techno-influenced tech house abundant in underground, and above ground, clubs today. But I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed that the sing along, Ministry-style disc of the compilation felt more full of life, and passion, and fun, than the heavy-handed seriousness of Quinn’s underground companion.

However, if Kiss FM’s intention was to capture the essence of metropolitan club life in 2009, they’ve well and truly nailed it.