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Based in Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, Mess Esque
Up next 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, has built a reputation for deeply absorbing musical journeys that can run the gamut from chilled-out soundscapes 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 releasing quirky and introspective pop experiments, with contributors ranging from the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and the prolific underground figure Simon Fisher Turner.

The label's 2017 release was 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 quasi-sequel to that record which simultaneously serves as a succinct overview to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts currently working. The Sydney group Daily Toll, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being an overlooked treasure of the year, contribute Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. The duo Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, whereas Who Cares?, draw equally from 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; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s destined to be deeply cherished and often cited with fans of all things delicate and deeply felt.

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