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Hailing from Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 compilation, Antipodean jangle-pop, Mess Esque
Up next Going Back to Sleep out now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, is renowned for deeply absorbing musical journeys that effortlessly shift between chilled-out soundscapes to driving drum and bass and beyond. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that massively punches above its weight when it comes to putting out quirky and introspective pop experiments, with contributors ranging from percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, 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 quasi-sequel to that record which doubles as a carefully curated roadmap to some of the best twee-pop groups currently working. Sydney band Daily Toll, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being a hidden jewel from this year, contribute Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, while Who Cares?, channel equal parts Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s almost certain to become well-loved and frequently referenced among connoisseurs of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

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