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Hailing from Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 indie pop sound, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, atmospheric pop
Up next The compilation 'Going Back to Sleep' is currently released

Melbourne-based DJ Moopie, AKA Matthew Xue, has built a reputation for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that often traverse from gelid ambient music to churning drum'n'bass and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to releasing quirky and introspective pop experiments, from artists as disparate as the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and the prolific underground figure Simon Fisher Turner.

The label's 2017 release was I Won’t Have to Think About You, a compilation of winsome, C86-ish indie pop. This year saw the release of Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which also functions as a carefully curated roadmap to some of the best twee-pop groups currently working. Sydney band Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as an overlooked treasure of the year, contribute Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore beat-driven, psychedelic-infused easy listening on How Long on the Platform, and the band Who Cares?, channel equal parts Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.

In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from San Francisco indie stalwarts 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 that’s destined to be a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant.

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Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Following his Oscar win for Best Original Score this year, one could envision Blumberg earning the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song for this breathtaking duet with Seyfried taken from his soundtrack to The Testament of Ann Lee.

Jana Horn – All in Bet
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Umor Rex – Lo Animal
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Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
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