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Based in Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 indie pop sound, Antipodean jangle-pop, art-pop experimentation
Latest release Going Back to Sleep out now

The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, is celebrated for deeply absorbing musical journeys that can run the gamut from icy, atmospheric ambience to churning drum'n'bass plus other genres. He also runs A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to releasing charmingly moody experimental pop music, from artists as disparate as percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist 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 quasi-sequel to that record which doubles as a succinct overview to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere making music now. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as a hidden jewel from this year, present Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), venture into rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, channel equal parts moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep features tracks from San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s likely to grow into well-loved and frequently referenced among connoisseurs of all things delicate and deeply felt.

Fresh Tracks of the Week

Flea – A Plea
An uncommon single release from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, which is brilliantly accomplished: driving yet inquisitive soul-infused jazz where Flea pleads for peace and love. “I’m not being corny – this shit is real!”

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 Best Original Song award in 2026 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 paints in every shade of a sigh on this richly despondent return, in which minimal hints of piano and woodwind shade her exhausted letdown.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
One might readily envision the work of this Madrid cellist's industrial-tinged gothic opus on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, metallic shrieks, haunting choral passages and end-times grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist collaborates with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo on a track of hard-hitting ghettotech: the beats are absolutely crushing 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 courtesy of Surf Gang, with this song standing as a peak moment, Jawnino focused and in the zone as he surveys the world of narcotics.

Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
With production by Ty Segall, this garagey number moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, transitioning from a freight-train momentum to the Austin-based artist's hazy daydream about how “the moon returns the spirit to me”.