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Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of classic jangle-pop compilations, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Newest project Going Back to Sleep out now

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, has built a reputation for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that often traverse from chilled-out soundscapes to churning drum'n'bass and much more. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – an exceptional independent record label that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to issuing quirky and introspective pop experiments, with contributors ranging from percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and the prolific underground figure Simon Fisher Turner.

The label's 2017 release was I Won’t Have to Think About You, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired indie pop. More recently, it has issued Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which also functions as a neatly drawn guide 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 one of the year’s underrated gems, contribute Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, blend influences from the styles of Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep features tracks from San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s almost certain to become deeply cherished and often cited with fans of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.

Fresh Tracks of the Week

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Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Having won this year’s best original score Oscar, one could envision Blumberg earning the Best Original Song award in 2026 for this stunning Seyfried duet taken from his soundtrack to The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
The Texan songwriter depicts all the nuances of melancholy in this opulently sad new song, as delicate traces of piano and woodwind tinge her fatigued disillusionment.

Umor Rex – Lo Animal
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Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
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Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Included on the latest mixtape, Amnesia, UK rapper Jawnino rolls over an assortment of cloud-rap instrumentals from Surf Gang, with this song standing as a peak moment, Jawnino focused and in the zone as he observes the landscape of drug dealing.

Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
With production by Ty Segall, this song with a garage vibe propels itself forward at a self-determined tempo, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the Austin musician’s dazed reverie about how “my spirit is restored by the moon”.