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From Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 indie pop sound, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Up next 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, is renowned for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that effortlessly shift between chilled-out soundscapes to driving drum and bass and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to issuing endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, from artists as disparate as London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair Troth, and the prolific underground figure Simon Fisher Turner.

In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, an assortment of charming guitar-pop reminiscent of the C86 era. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a quasi-sequel to that record which doubles as a neatly drawn guide to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts making music now. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being an overlooked treasure of the year, contribute Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, while Who Cares?, draw equally from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep features tracks from San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s destined to be a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

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