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From Melbourne
Recommended if you like the C86 compilation, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, atmospheric pop
Latest release The compilation 'Going Back to Sleep' is currently released

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is celebrated for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that can run the gamut from chilled-out soundscapes to pulsating breakbeats and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that massively punches above its weight when it comes to issuing endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, from artists as disparate as percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and the prolific underground figure 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. More recently, it has issued Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which doubles as a neatly drawn guide to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere active today. The Sydney group Daily Toll, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is an overlooked treasure of the year, present Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), push 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 features tracks from the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s almost certain to become deeply cherished and often cited with fans of all things delicate and deeply felt.

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