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Based in Melbourne
Perfect for fans of classic jangle-pop compilations, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Up next 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, is celebrated for deeply absorbing musical journeys that often traverse from gelid ambient music to driving drum and bass and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that massively punches above its weight when it comes to putting out charmingly moody experimental pop music, featuring a diverse roster including the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and renowned underground polymath 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 quasi-sequel to that record which simultaneously serves as a succinct overview to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere active today. 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 daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, and the band Who Cares?, draw equally from the styles of Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s likely to grow into a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

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