🔗 Share this article Matthew Xue's Charmingly Moody Experimental Compilations along with This Week's Top Fresh Releases From Melbourne Perfect for fans of the C86 compilation, AU/NZ jangle-pop, art-pop experimentation Newest project The compilation 'Going Back to Sleep' is currently released The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that often traverse from gelid ambient music to churning drum'n'bass and much more. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to issuing quirky and introspective pop experiments, from artists as disparate as London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and the prolific underground figure 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 quasi-sequel to that record which also functions as a neatly drawn guide to some of the best twee-pop groups active today. The Sydney group Daily Toll, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being one of the year’s underrated gems, present Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, while Who Cares?, channel equal parts Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane. In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. This is a modest collection that’s destined to be a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant. This Week’s Best New Tracks Flea – A Plea An uncommon single release from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and it is superbly executed: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz as Flea advocates for tranquility and compassion. “No cheesiness here – this is the truth!” Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun Following his Oscar win for Best Original Score this year, you can imagine Blumberg winning best original song in 2026 for this breathtaking duet with Seyfried featured on the soundtrack he composed for The Testament of Ann Lee. Jana Horn – All in Bet This songwriter from Texas captures the full spectrum of a sigh on this richly despondent return, in which minimal hints of piano and flute tinge her fatigued disillusionment. Umor Rex – Lo Animal You could easily imagine this cellist from Madrid's industrial-tinged gothic opus on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, metallic shrieks, haunting choral passages and apocalyptic grandeur. Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up The creative Austrian producer and singer teams up with Bristol-based UK bass maker DJ Polo for some slamming ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat yet the melody approaches dream-pop. Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again Included on the latest mixtape, Amnesia, British MC Jawnino rides varied cloud-rap beats from Surf Gang, and this is one of its peaks, Jawnino focused and in the zone while he examines the drug trade. Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper Produced by Ty Segall, this garagey number chugs along entirely at its own pace, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the Austin musician’s woozy reflection about how “the moon gives me back my spirit”.