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Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, art-pop experimentation
Up next 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is renowned for deeply absorbing musical journeys that can run the gamut from gelid ambient music to pulsating breakbeats and beyond. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to issuing quirky and introspective pop experiments, featuring a diverse roster including London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner.

The label's 2017 release was I Won’t Have to Think About You, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired indie pop. More recently, it has issued Going Back to Sleep, a record that acts as a companion piece which simultaneously serves as a carefully curated roadmap to some of the best twee-pop groups making music now. The Sydney group Daily Toll, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is one of the year’s underrated gems, contribute Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture into percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, and the band Who Cares?, blend influences from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s likely to grow into well-loved and frequently referenced for aficionados of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

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