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From Melbourne
Perfect for fans of classic jangle-pop compilations, Antipodean jangle-pop, art-pop experimentation
Latest release 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, is celebrated for deeply absorbing musical journeys that can run the gamut from chilled-out soundscapes to pulsating breakbeats and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to issuing endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, with contributors ranging from percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and renowned underground polymath 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. More recently, it has issued Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which doubles as a succinct overview to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts active today. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being one of the year’s underrated gems, offer Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), venture into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, blend influences from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s likely to grow into well-loved and frequently referenced for aficionados of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

This Week’s Best New Tracks

Flea – A Plea
An uncommon single release by the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist, which is brilliantly accomplished: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz as Flea advocates for harmony and affection. “No cheesiness here – this is the truth!”

Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Following his Oscar win for Best Original Score this year, one could envision Blumberg earning the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song for this stunning Seyfried duet taken from the score for the film The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
The Texan songwriter captures the full spectrum of a sigh on this richly despondent return, as delicate traces of piano and flute tinge her fatigued disillusionment.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
It's not hard to picture the work of this Madrid cellist's gothic masterpiece with industrial shades on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, screeching metallic sounds, haunting choral passages and apocalyptic grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist joins forces with UK bass producer DJ Polo from Bristol for some slamming ghettotech: the percussion is overpowering but the melody is almost dream-pop.

Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
On new mixtape Amnesia, British MC Jawnino flows over varied cloud-rap beats by Surf Gang, and this is one of its peaks, Jawnino focused and in the zone as he surveys the world of narcotics.

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 musician from Austin's hazy daydream about how “the moon returns the spirit to me”.