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Based in Melbourne
Recommended if you like the C86 indie pop sound, AU/NZ jangle-pop, Mess Esque
Newest project The compilation 'Going Back to Sleep' is currently released

The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that effortlessly shift between icy, atmospheric ambience to churning drum'n'bass and beyond. He also runs A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to issuing charmingly moody experimental pop music, from artists as disparate as London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner.

In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, an assortment of charming guitar-pop reminiscent of the C86 era. This year saw the release of Going Back to Sleep, a quasi-sequel to that record which also functions as a neatly drawn guide to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere currently working. Sydney band Daily Toll, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being one of the year’s underrated gems, contribute Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, while Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, channel equal parts moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

On other parts of the compilation, Going Back to Sleep features tracks from the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s destined to be well-loved and frequently referenced among connoisseurs of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant.

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Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
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Jana Horn – All in Bet
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Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
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