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Based in Melbourne
Recommended if you like the C86 compilation, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, art-pop experimentation
Latest release Going Back to Sleep out now

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that often traverse from icy, atmospheric ambience to pulsating breakbeats and beyond. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – an exceptional independent record label that massively punches above its weight when it comes to putting out endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, from artists as disparate as the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, 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 record that acts as a companion piece which simultaneously serves as a neatly drawn guide to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts currently working. Sydney band Daily Toll, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being one of the year’s underrated gems, offer Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, blend influences from the styles of Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s almost certain to become well-loved and frequently referenced among connoisseurs of all things delicate and deeply felt.

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