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From Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 indie pop sound, Antipodean jangle-pop, Mess Esque
Latest release 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, is celebrated for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that often traverse from chilled-out soundscapes to churning drum'n'bass plus other genres. He also runs A Colourful Storm – an exceptional independent record label that massively punches above its weight when it comes to issuing endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, featuring a diverse roster including London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and renowned underground polymath Simon Fisher Turner.

Back in 2017, the imprint put out 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 spiritual follow-up to that compilation which also functions as a neatly drawn guide to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere making music now. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being an overlooked treasure of the year, present Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), explore percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, while Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, blend influences from the styles of 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; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s almost certain to become deeply cherished and often cited for aficionados of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant.

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