🔗 Share this article

Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, atmospheric pop
Latest release Going Back to Sleep out now

Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is renowned for deeply absorbing musical journeys that often traverse from chilled-out soundscapes to churning drum'n'bass plus other genres. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to releasing charmingly moody experimental pop music, featuring a diverse roster including the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair Troth, and the prolific underground figure Simon Fisher Turner.

Back in 2017, the imprint put out I Won’t Have to Think About You, a compilation of winsome, C86-ish indie pop. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which also functions as a carefully curated roadmap to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere active today. Sydney band Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as an overlooked treasure of the year, offer Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, whereas the band Who Cares?, blend influences from moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s likely to grow into deeply cherished and often cited 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 Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and a magnificently realised one: driving yet inquisitive soul-infused jazz 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 best original song in 2026 for this breathtaking duet with Seyfried featured on his soundtrack to The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
The Texan songwriter paints in every shade of a sigh on this deeply gloomy comeback, where the slightest touches of piano and woodwind colour her weary disappointment.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
One might readily envision this Madrid-based cellist’s industrial-tinged gothic opus on the soundtrack to Dune, with its thundering drums, piercing industrial noises, eerie chorals and cataclysmic majesty.

Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Austrian visionary Zora Jones joins forces with Bristol-based UK bass maker DJ Polo on a track of hard-hitting ghettotech: the percussion is overpowering but the melody is almost dream-pop.

Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Included on the latest mixtape, Amnesia, British MC Jawnino flows over an assortment of cloud-rap instrumentals by Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino focused and in the zone as he observes the landscape of drug dealing.

Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Produced by Ty Segall, this garage-rock-influenced track propels itself forward at a self-determined tempo, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the Austin musician’s hazy daydream about how “the moon returns the spirit to me”.