Matthew Xue's Intriguingly Atmospheric Curated Collections along with The Week's Best New Tracks
From Melbourne
Ideal listening for those who enjoy the C86 indie pop sound, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, Mess Esque
Latest release 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now
The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, is renowned for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that effortlessly shift between chilled-out soundscapes to churning drum'n'bass and beyond. He also runs A Colourful Storm – a fantastic indie label that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to putting out charmingly moody experimental pop music, with contributors ranging from London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair Troth, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner.
Back in 2017, the imprint put out 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 spiritual follow-up to that compilation which simultaneously serves as a carefully curated roadmap to a selection of top-notch twee-pop acts currently working. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being an overlooked treasure of the year, present Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, the pair, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, venture into rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, draw equally from moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.
In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from the enduring San Francisco indie group the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s destined to be deeply cherished and often cited among connoisseurs of all things delicate and deeply felt.
The Top New Releases This Week
Flea – A Plea
A rare solo track from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and it is superbly executed: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz with Flea calling for tranquility and compassion. “This isn't cliché – it's genuine!”
Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Following his Oscar win for Best Original Score this year, it's easy to picture Blumberg taking home the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song thanks to this remarkable collaboration with Amanda Seyfried featured on his soundtrack to The Testament of Ann Lee.
Jana Horn – All in Bet
Jana Horn, an artist based in Texas captures the full spectrum of a sigh on this deeply gloomy comeback, in which minimal hints of keys and wind instruments tinge her fatigued disillusionment.
Umor Rex – Lo Animal
It's not hard to picture this Madrid-based cellist’s industrial-tinged gothic opus on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, metallic shrieks, eerie chorals and cataclysmic majesty.
Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Austrian visionary Zora Jones teams up with UK bass producer DJ Polo from Bristol for some slamming ghettotech: the beats are absolutely crushing but the melody is almost dream-pop.
Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Featured on the fresh mixtape Amnesia, UK rapper Jawnino rides diverse, ethereal rap production courtesy of Surf Gang, and this is one of its peaks, Jawnino alert and locked in while he examines the landscape of drug dealing.
Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Helmed by Ty Segall, this garage-rock-influenced track chugs along entirely at its own pace, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the musician from Austin's dazed reverie about how “the moon gives me back my spirit”.
