š Share this article DJ Moopie's Charmingly Moody Experimental Compilations and The Week's Best New Tracks Hailing from Melbourne Recommended if you like the C86 indie pop sound, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, atmospheric pop Up next 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that often traverse from chilled-out soundscapes to churning drum'n'bass and beyond. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm ā an exceptional independent record label that massively punches above its weight when it comes to issuing charmingly moody experimental pop music, featuring a diverse roster including London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner. In 2017, the label released I Wonāt Have to Think About You, an assortment of charming guitar-pop reminiscent of the C86 era. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which simultaneously serves as a succinct overview to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts making music now. Sydney band Daily Toll, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being an overlooked treasure of the year, contribute Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, whereas the band Who Cares?, draw equally from moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane. On other parts of the compilation, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation thatās likely to grow into well-loved and frequently referenced with fans of all things delicate and deeply felt. This Weekās Best New Tracks Flea ā A Plea A rare solo track from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and a magnificently realised one: rhythmically forward-moving but adventurous jazz-soul with Flea calling for tranquility and compassion. āIām not being corny ā this shit is real!ā Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried ā Clothed By the Sun Having won this yearās best original score Oscar, it's easy to picture Blumberg taking home best original song in 2026 for this stunning Seyfried duet included in the score for the film The Testament of Ann Lee. Jana Horn ā All in Bet This songwriter from Texas paints in every shade of a sigh on this deeply gloomy comeback, as delicate traces of keys and wind instruments shade her exhausted letdown. Umor Rex ā Lo Animal It's not hard to picture this Madrid-based cellistās gothic masterpiece with industrial shades featured in a Dune soundtrack, with its thundering drums, piercing industrial noises, spooky vocal harmonies and cataclysmic majesty. Zora Jones x DJ Polo ā Hoes Link Up Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist teams up with Bristol-based UK bass maker DJ Polo on a track of hard-hitting ghettotech: the percussion is overpowering although the tune is nearly dream-pop in nature. Jawnino and Surf Gang ā Hit Again On new mixtape Amnesia, The UK's Jawnino flows over an assortment of cloud-rap instrumentals courtesy of Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged while he examines the landscape of drug dealing. Annabelle Chairlegs ā 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-based artist's dazed reverie about how āthe moon returns the spirit to meā.