Matthew Xue's Charmingly Moody Curated Collections along with This Week's Top Fresh Releases
Hailing from Melbourne
Recommended if you like classic jangle-pop compilations, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, art-pop experimentation
Up next 'Going Back to Sleep' is available now
Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is renowned for deeply absorbing musical journeys that often traverse from gelid ambient music to churning drum'n'bass and much more. Additionally, he operates A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to releasing charmingly moody experimental pop music, from artists as disparate as the rhythmic explorations of Valentina Magaletti, the dub-infused sounds of Hobart pair 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. More recently, it has issued Going Back to Sleep, a record that acts as a companion piece which simultaneously serves as a neatly drawn guide to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere currently working. Sydney band Daily Toll, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is an overlooked treasure of the year, contribute Time, a seven-minute daydream built on melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), explore percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, while the band Who Cares?, blend influences from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.
Elsewhere, 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’s an unassuming compilation that’s likely to grow into well-loved and frequently referenced with fans of all things delicate and deeply felt.
The Top New Releases This Week
Flea – A Plea
A seldom-seen individual effort from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, which is brilliantly accomplished: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz with Flea calling for peace and love. “I’m not being corny – this shit is real!”
Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Having won this year’s best original score Oscar, one could envision Blumberg earning the 2026 Oscar for Best Original Song for this stunning Seyfried duet taken from the soundtrack he composed for The Testament of Ann Lee.
Jana Horn – All in Bet
The Texan songwriter depicts all the nuances of melancholy on this richly despondent return, where the slightest touches of piano and flute tinge her fatigued disillusionment.
Umor Rex – Lo Animal
You could easily imagine this cellist from Madrid's dark, gothic composition touched by industrial music featured in a Dune soundtrack, thanks to its pounding percussion, metallic shrieks, haunting choral passages and cataclysmic majesty.
Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Imaginative Austrian producer-vocalist teams up with Bristol-based UK bass maker DJ Polo on a track of hard-hitting ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat yet the melody approaches dream-pop.
Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
On new mixtape Amnesia, The UK's Jawnino rides diverse, ethereal rap production by Surf Gang, and this track is a highlight, Jawnino sharp and fully engaged while he examines the landscape of drug dealing.
Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
With production by Ty Segall, this song with a garage vibe chugs along entirely at its own pace, shifting from a runaway vehicle to the Austin musician’s woozy reflection about how “the moon gives me back my spirit”.
