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From Melbourne
Recommended if you like the C86 compilation, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Latest release 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, is celebrated for deeply absorbing musical journeys that often traverse from chilled-out soundscapes to driving drum and bass and much more. He also runs A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that massively punches above its weight when it comes to issuing endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, featuring a diverse roster including the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair Troth, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner.

In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired indie pop. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which also functions as a carefully curated roadmap to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts active today. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is a hidden jewel from this year, offer Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture into rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, channel equal parts Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s likely to grow into a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

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