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Hailing from Melbourne
Recommended if you like the C86 compilation, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Latest release Going Back to Sleep out now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, is celebrated for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that can run the gamut from chilled-out soundscapes to pulsating breakbeats and much more. He also runs A Colourful Storm – an exceptional independent record label that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to putting out endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, featuring a diverse roster including London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and renowned underground polymath Simon Fisher Turner.

In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, an assortment of charming guitar-pop reminiscent of the C86 era. This year saw the release of Going Back to Sleep, a record that acts as a companion piece which also functions as a succinct overview to some of the best twee-pop groups making music now. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as one of the year’s underrated gems, present Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. The duo Chateau, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), push into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, while the band Who Cares?, draw equally from the styles of Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

On other parts of the compilation, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s destined to be well-loved and frequently referenced with fans of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant.

The Top New Releases This Week

Flea – A Plea
A seldom-seen individual effort from the RHCP bass player, and a magnificently realised one: driving yet inquisitive soul-infused jazz as Flea advocates for harmony and affection. “This isn't cliché – it's genuine!”

Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Following his Oscar win for Best Original Score this year, it's easy to picture Blumberg taking home the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song for this stunning Seyfried duet featured on his soundtrack to The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
Jana Horn, an artist based in Texas depicts all the nuances of melancholy on this deeply gloomy comeback, in which minimal hints of piano and flute shade her exhausted letdown.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
You could easily imagine the work of this Madrid cellist's gothic masterpiece with industrial shades on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, metallic shrieks, eerie chorals and end-times grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist teams up 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, UK rapper Jawnino rides diverse, ethereal rap production by Surf Gang, with this song standing as a peak moment, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged as he observes the landscape of drug dealing.

Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Produced by Ty Segall, this garagey number chugs along entirely at its own pace, from runaway truck to the Austin-based artist's dazed reverie about how “the moon returns the spirit to me”.