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Based in Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 indie pop sound, AU/NZ jangle-pop, art-pop experimentation
Up next Going Back to Sleep out now

The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, is renowned for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that can run the gamut from gelid ambient music to pulsating breakbeats and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that massively punches above its weight when it comes to putting out quirky and introspective pop experiments, featuring a diverse roster including London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner.

In 2017, the label released 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 neatly drawn guide to some of the best twee-pop groups making music now. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, 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. The duo Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, and the band Who Cares?, draw equally from the styles of 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; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s likely to grow into a beloved and regularly mentioned resource with fans of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

The Top New Releases This Week

Flea – A Plea
An uncommon single release from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and it is superbly executed: rhythmically forward-moving but adventurous jazz-soul 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, one could envision Blumberg earning best original song in 2026 for this stunning Seyfried duet included in his soundtrack to The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
This songwriter from Texas paints in every shade of a sigh in this opulently sad new song, in which minimal hints of keys and wind instruments shade her exhausted letdown.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
It's not hard to picture the work of this Madrid cellist's industrial-tinged gothic opus on the soundtrack to Dune, due to its seismic drum work, piercing industrial noises, haunting choral passages and end-times grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
The creative Austrian producer and singer collaborates with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo for some slamming ghettotech: the beats are absolutely crushing although the tune is nearly dream-pop in nature.

Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Included on the latest mixtape, Amnesia, British MC Jawnino rides diverse, ethereal rap production courtesy of Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged as he observes the landscape of drug dealing.

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 Austin-based artist's woozy reflection about how “the moon returns the spirit to me”.