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From Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 compilation, AU/NZ jangle-pop, art-pop experimentation
Newest project The compilation 'Going Back to Sleep' is currently released

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, has built a reputation for deeply absorbing musical journeys that effortlessly shift between chilled-out soundscapes to churning drum'n'bass and beyond. He also runs 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 the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and the prolific underground figure Simon Fisher Turner.

The label's 2017 release was I Won’t Have to Think About You, a compilation of winsome, C86-ish indie pop. This year saw the release of Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which simultaneously serves as a succinct overview to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere making music now. The Sydney group Daily Toll, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is one of the year’s underrated gems, present Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, and the band Who Cares?, channel equal parts the styles of 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; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming 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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