Matthew Xue's Charmingly Moody Curated Collections and This Week's Best New Tracks
Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, AU/NZ jangle-pop, art-pop experimentation
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 can run the gamut from icy, atmospheric ambience to driving drum and bass and beyond. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that massively punches above its weight when it comes to releasing endearingly atmospheric avant-pop, featuring a diverse roster including the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, Troth, a bass-heavy duo from Hobart, and renowned underground polymath Simon Fisher Turner.
In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, a compilation of winsome, C86-ish indie pop. More recently, it has issued Going Back to Sleep, a quasi-sequel to that record which simultaneously serves as a neatly drawn guide to some of the best twee-pop groups active today. The Sydney group Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as an overlooked treasure of the year, present Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. Chateau, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, whereas the band Who Cares?, blend influences from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.
In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep features tracks from 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 stands as a humble compilation that’s likely to grow into a beloved and regularly mentioned resource among connoisseurs of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.
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: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz as Flea advocates for harmony and affection. “This isn't cliché – it's genuine!”
Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Having won this year’s best original score Oscar, one could envision Blumberg earning best original song in 2026 thanks to this remarkable collaboration with Amanda 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 in this opulently sad new song, as delicate traces of piano and flute colour her weary disappointment.
Umor Rex – Lo Animal
You could easily imagine the work of this Madrid cellist's dark, gothic composition touched by industrial music on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, piercing industrial noises, spooky vocal harmonies and end-times grandeur.
Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
The creative Austrian producer and singer teams up with Bristol-based UK bass maker DJ Polo to deliver pounding ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat yet the melody approaches dream-pop.
Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Included on the latest mixtape, Amnesia, UK rapper Jawnino rolls over varied cloud-rap beats by Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino alert and locked in while he examines the world of narcotics.
Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
With production by Ty Segall, this song with a garage vibe propels itself forward at a self-determined tempo, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the Austin-based artist's woozy reflection about how “the moon gives me back my spirit”.
