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Based in Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 compilation, AU/NZ jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Newest project Going Back to Sleep out now

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is renowned for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that can run the gamut from gelid ambient music to driving drum and bass and beyond. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to putting out charmingly moody experimental pop music, 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.

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 some of the best twee-pop groups active today. The Sydney group Daily Toll, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is a hidden jewel from this year, offer Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, the pair, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, blend influences from moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s almost certain to become well-loved and frequently referenced for aficionados of all things delicate and deeply felt.

This Week’s Best New Tracks

Flea – A Plea
An uncommon single release from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and a magnificently realised one: driving yet inquisitive soul-infused jazz with Flea calling for peace and love. “I’m not being corny – this shit is real!”

Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
After securing this year's Oscar for Best Original Score, it's easy to picture Blumberg taking home the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song for this breathtaking duet with Seyfried included in the soundtrack he composed for The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
Jana Horn, an artist based in Texas captures the full spectrum of a sigh on this deeply gloomy comeback, in which minimal hints of keys and wind instruments tinge her fatigued disillusionment.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
One might readily envision this Madrid-based cellist’s industrial-tinged gothic opus playing over scenes in Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, screeching metallic sounds, haunting choral passages and end-times grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Austrian visionary Zora Jones teams up with Bristol-based UK bass maker DJ Polo for some slamming ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat although the tune is nearly dream-pop in nature.

Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
On new mixtape Amnesia, The UK's Jawnino rolls over diverse, ethereal rap production by Surf Gang, and this is one of its peaks, Jawnino alert and locked in as he observes the world of narcotics.

Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
With production by Ty Segall, this garage-rock-influenced track propels itself forward at a self-determined tempo, from runaway truck to the musician from Austin's dazed reverie about how “the moon gives me back my spirit”.