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Based in Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, AU/NZ jangle-pop, Mess Esque
Up next 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now

The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, has built a reputation for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that often traverse from gelid ambient music to driving drum and bass and beyond. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to putting out endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, from artists as disparate as London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, 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 record that acts as a companion piece which simultaneously serves as a neatly drawn guide to some of the best twee-pop groups currently working. Sydney band Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as a hidden jewel from this year, present Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, the pair, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture 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 showcases songs by Bay Area indie fixtures 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 almost certain to become deeply cherished and often cited with fans of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

The Top New Releases This Week

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Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Following his Oscar win for Best Original Score this year, one could envision Blumberg earning best original song in 2026 thanks to this remarkable collaboration with Amanda Seyfried included in the score for the film The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
Jana Horn, an artist based in Texas captures the full spectrum of a sigh on this richly despondent return, in which minimal hints of piano and flute shade her exhausted letdown.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
You could easily imagine this Madrid-based cellist’s gothic masterpiece with industrial shades on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, metallic shrieks, spooky vocal harmonies and end-times grandeur.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Austrian visionary Zora Jones teams up with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo for some slamming ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat although the tune is nearly dream-pop in nature.

Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
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Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Produced by Ty Segall, this garage-rock-influenced track moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, from runaway truck to the Austin musician’s hazy daydream about how “the moon gives me back my spirit”.