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Based in Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, AU/NZ jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Up next Going Back to Sleep out now

The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that can run the gamut from chilled-out soundscapes to pulsating breakbeats and beyond. He also runs A Colourful Storm – an exceptional independent record label that massively punches above its weight when it comes to releasing charmingly moody experimental pop music, from artists as disparate as percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and the prolific underground figure 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 carefully curated roadmap to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere currently working. Sydney band Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as an overlooked treasure of the year, contribute Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), venture into percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, whereas the band Who Cares?, draw equally from the styles of Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

On other parts of the compilation, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s destined to be a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of all things delicate and deeply felt.

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