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Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Latest release Going Back to Sleep out now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that can run the gamut from icy, atmospheric ambience to driving drum and bass and much more. 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 percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, 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. This year saw the release of Going Back to Sleep, a record that acts as a companion piece which simultaneously serves as a succinct overview to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts making music now. The Sydney group Daily Toll, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being a hidden jewel from this year, offer Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, channel equal parts Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

On other parts of the compilation, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s almost certain to become a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant.

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