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Hailing from Melbourne
Recommended if you like the C86 compilation, AU/NZ jangle-pop, Mess Esque
Newest project Going Back to Sleep out now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that often traverse from chilled-out soundscapes to driving drum and bass and much more. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to putting out 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, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired indie pop. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a record that acts as a companion piece which also functions as a neatly drawn guide to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere making music now. Sydney band Daily Toll, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is a hidden jewel from this year, present Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, whereas the band Who Cares?, channel equal parts Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s destined to be a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of all things delicate and deeply felt.

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