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Based in Melbourne
Recommended if you like the C86 indie pop sound, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, art-pop experimentation
Up next Going Back to Sleep out now

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, has built a reputation for deeply absorbing musical journeys that often traverse from icy, atmospheric ambience to pulsating breakbeats and beyond. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – an exceptional independent record label that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to putting out charmingly moody experimental pop music, with contributors ranging from London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair Troth, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner.

Back in 2017, the imprint put out 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 quasi-sequel to that record which simultaneously serves as a neatly drawn guide to some of the best twee-pop groups active today. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is a hidden jewel from this year, offer Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, whereas Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, draw equally from moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo 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.

This Week’s Best New Tracks

Flea – A Plea
A seldom-seen individual effort from the RHCP bass player, and it is superbly executed: driving yet inquisitive soul-infused jazz as Flea advocates for tranquility and compassion. “I’m not being corny – this shit is real!”

Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Having won this year’s best original score Oscar, it's easy to picture Blumberg taking home the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song for this stunning Seyfried duet featured on the score for the film The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
This songwriter from Texas captures the full spectrum of a sigh on this richly despondent return, where the slightest touches of piano and flute colour her weary disappointment.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
One might readily envision this cellist from Madrid's gothic masterpiece with industrial shades featured in a Dune soundtrack, with its thundering drums, piercing industrial noises, spooky vocal harmonies and apocalyptic grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist joins forces with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo to deliver pounding ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat although the tune is nearly dream-pop in nature.

Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Featured on the fresh mixtape Amnesia, The UK's Jawnino flows over diverse, ethereal rap production by Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged as he surveys the drug trade.

Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
With production by Ty Segall, this song with a garage vibe moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the Austin-based artist's dazed reverie about how “the moon returns the spirit to me”.