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From Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 indie pop sound, AU/NZ jangle-pop, art-pop experimentation
Newest project 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, has built a reputation for deeply absorbing musical journeys that often traverse from chilled-out soundscapes to driving drum and bass and beyond. He also runs A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to issuing quirky and introspective pop experiments, featuring a diverse roster including the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and the prolific underground figure Simon Fisher Turner.

In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, a compilation of winsome, C86-ish indie pop. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which doubles as a neatly drawn guide to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts active today. The Sydney group Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as a hidden jewel from this year, present Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, channel equal parts the styles of Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

On other parts of the compilation, Going Back to Sleep features tracks from Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s destined to be well-loved and frequently referenced among connoisseurs of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

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