Matthew Xue's Charmingly Moody Curated Collections and This Week's Top Fresh Releases
Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 compilation, AU/NZ jangle-pop, Mess Esque
Newest project 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now
The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, is celebrated for engrossing, wide-ranging sets that effortlessly shift between gelid ambient music to driving drum and bass and much more. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – an exceptional independent record label that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to putting out quirky and introspective pop experiments, featuring a diverse roster including London-based percussionist Valentina Magaletti, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and the prolific underground figure 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 quasi-sequel to that record 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 daydream built on melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, whereas Who Cares?, draw equally from moody vocalists Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.
Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; Sydney's minimalist outfit the Lewers; and bright, folk-tinged pop from the Dutch pair the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s likely to grow into deeply cherished and often cited among connoisseurs of music that is subtle and emotionally resonant.
Fresh Tracks of the Week
Flea – A Plea
A seldom-seen individual effort by the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist, and a magnificently realised one: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz with Flea calling for harmony and affection. “I’m not being corny – this shit is real!”
Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
After securing this year's Oscar for Best Original Score, it's easy to picture Blumberg taking home the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song for this breathtaking duet with Seyfried featured on 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 richly despondent return, as delicate traces of piano and woodwind colour her weary disappointment.
Umor Rex – Lo Animal
One might readily envision the work of this Madrid cellist's dark, gothic composition touched by industrial music on the soundtrack to Dune, with its thundering drums, piercing industrial noises, eerie chorals and cataclysmic majesty.
Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist teams up with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo on a track of hard-hitting 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 varied cloud-rap beats from Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino alert and locked in while he examines the drug trade.
Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
With production by Ty Segall, this song with a garage vibe moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the Austin-based artist's woozy reflection about how “my spirit is restored by the moon”.
