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Based in Melbourne
Perfect for fans of classic jangle-pop compilations, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Up next Going Back to Sleep out now

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is celebrated for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that can run the gamut from icy, atmospheric ambience to driving drum and bass and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to releasing quirky and introspective pop experiments, with contributors ranging from London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair Troth, and renowned underground polymath Simon Fisher Turner.

The label's 2017 release was I Won’t Have to Think About You, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired indie pop. This year saw the release of Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which doubles as a succinct overview to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere making music now. The Sydney group Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as a hidden jewel from this year, offer Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), explore percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, while Who Cares?, draw equally from moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep features tracks from the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s destined to be well-loved and frequently referenced with fans of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant.

This Week’s Best New Tracks

Flea – A Plea
A rare solo track from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and a magnificently realised one: rhythmically forward-moving but adventurous jazz-soul where Flea pleads for peace and love. “This isn't cliché – it's genuine!”

Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Having won this year’s best original score Oscar, you can imagine Blumberg winning the Best Original Song award in 2026 for this breathtaking duet with Seyfried taken from the soundtrack he composed for The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
Jana Horn, an artist based in Texas paints in every shade of a sigh in this opulently sad new song, where the slightest touches of keys and wind instruments colour her weary disappointment.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
You could easily imagine this Madrid-based cellist’s gothic masterpiece with industrial shades on the soundtrack to Dune, due to its seismic drum work, metallic shrieks, eerie chorals and end-times grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist collaborates with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo for some slamming ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat yet the melody approaches dream-pop.

Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Included on the latest mixtape, Amnesia, UK rapper Jawnino rides an assortment of cloud-rap instrumentals courtesy of Surf Gang, and this is one of its peaks, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged while he examines the landscape of drug dealing.

Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Produced by Ty Segall, this garage-rock-influenced track moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, transitioning from a freight-train momentum to the Austin musician’s hazy daydream about how “the moon gives me back my spirit”.