Matthew Xue's Charmingly Moody Curated Collections and The Week's Top Fresh Releases
Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 indie pop sound, AU/NZ jangle-pop, Mess Esque
Latest release Going Back to Sleep out now
Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is celebrated for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that often traverse from 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 massively punches above its weight when it comes to putting out quirky and introspective pop experiments, featuring a diverse roster including percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair Troth, 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. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a record that acts as a companion piece which also functions as a neatly drawn guide to some of the best twee-pop groups currently working. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, their 2025 first record A Profound Non-Event being a hidden jewel from this year, offer Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. The duo Chateau, comprising Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, explore rhythmic, trippy lounge music on How Long on the Platform, whereas Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, blend influences from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.
In other tracks, Going Back to Sleep includes contributions from Bay Area indie fixtures the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s almost certain to become well-loved and frequently referenced with fans of art that is gentle and profoundly emotional.
This Week’s Best New Tracks
Flea – A Plea
A seldom-seen individual effort from the RHCP bass player, and it is superbly executed: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz with Flea calling for peace and love. “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 best original song in 2026 for this stunning Seyfried duet included in his soundtrack to The Testament of Ann Lee.
Jana Horn – All in Bet
Jana Horn, an artist based in Texas depicts all the nuances of melancholy on this richly despondent return, where the slightest touches of keys and wind instruments tinge her fatigued disillusionment.
Umor Rex – Lo Animal
It's not hard to picture this Madrid-based cellist’s dark, gothic composition touched by industrial music featured in a Dune soundtrack, due to its seismic drum work, piercing industrial noises, eerie chorals and end-times grandeur.
Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist collaborates with UK bass producer DJ Polo from Bristol 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
Included on the latest mixtape, Amnesia, The UK's Jawnino rolls over diverse, ethereal rap production from Surf Gang, and this is one of its peaks, Jawnino focused and in the zone as he surveys the drug trade.
Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Helmed by Ty Segall, this garage-rock-influenced track moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, transitioning from a freight-train momentum to the Austin-based artist's hazy daydream about how “my spirit is restored by the moon”.
