🔗 Share this article DJ Moopie's Charmingly Moody Experimental Compilations along with This Week's Best New Tracks From Melbourne Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop Up next The compilation 'Going Back to Sleep' is currently released Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, is renowned for deeply absorbing musical journeys that effortlessly shift between chilled-out soundscapes to pulsating breakbeats and beyond. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to putting out 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 renowned underground polymath Simon Fisher Turner. In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired indie pop. This year saw the release of Going Back to Sleep, a record that acts as a companion piece which doubles as a succinct overview 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 an overlooked treasure of the year, present Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. The duo Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, blend influences from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane. Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s destined to be a beloved and regularly mentioned resource for aficionados of all things delicate and deeply felt. This Week’s Best New Tracks Flea – A Plea A rare solo track by the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist, and it is superbly executed: rhythmically forward-moving but adventurous jazz-soul where Flea pleads for peace and love. “This isn't cliché – it's genuine!” Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun After securing this year's Oscar for Best Original Score, one could envision Blumberg earning best original song in 2026 for this breathtaking duet with Seyfried taken from the soundtrack he composed for The Testament of Ann Lee. Jana Horn – All in Bet This songwriter from Texas depicts all the nuances of melancholy on this deeply gloomy comeback, as delicate traces of piano and flute shade her exhausted letdown. Umor Rex – Lo Animal One might readily envision the work of this Madrid cellist's industrial-tinged gothic opus on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, metallic shrieks, eerie chorals and end-times grandeur. Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up The creative Austrian producer and singer collaborates with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo on a track of hard-hitting ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat but the melody is almost dream-pop. Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again Featured on the fresh mixtape Amnesia, UK rapper Jawnino rides varied cloud-rap beats by Surf Gang, with this song standing as a peak moment, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged while he examines the drug trade. Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper With production by Ty Segall, this garage-rock-influenced track moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, from runaway truck to the musician from Austin's hazy daydream about how “my spirit is restored by the moon”.