🔗 Share this article DJ Moopie's Intriguingly Atmospheric Experimental Compilations and The Week's Top Fresh Releases Based in Melbourne Recommended if you like the C86 compilation, Antipodean jangle-pop, Mess Esque Newest project 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, is celebrated for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that can run the gamut from icy, atmospheric ambience to pulsating breakbeats 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 endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, from artists as disparate as percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, 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. More recently, it has issued Going Back to Sleep, a quasi-sequel to that record which doubles as a carefully curated roadmap to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere currently working. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being an overlooked treasure of the year, offer Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture into beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, while the band Who Cares?, draw equally from the styles of Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane. Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from 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. This is a modest collection that’s destined to be well-loved and frequently referenced with fans of all things delicate and deeply felt. 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 where Flea pleads for harmony and affection. “I’m not being corny – this shit is real!” Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun Following his Oscar win for Best Original Score this year, one could envision Blumberg earning best original song in 2026 thanks to this remarkable collaboration with Amanda Seyfried included in 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, where the slightest touches of piano and woodwind tinge her fatigued disillusionment. Umor Rex – Lo Animal One might readily envision this cellist from Madrid's gothic masterpiece with industrial shades featured in a Dune soundtrack, with its thundering drums, screeching metallic sounds, eerie chorals and cataclysmic majesty. Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up Austrian visionary Zora Jones joins forces with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo to deliver pounding ghettotech: the percussion is overpowering although the tune is nearly dream-pop in nature. Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again Featured on the fresh mixtape Amnesia, British MC Jawnino rides diverse, ethereal rap production courtesy of Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged as he observes the world of narcotics. Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper Helmed 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 woozy reflection about how “my spirit is restored by the moon”.