Matthew Xue's Intriguingly Atmospheric Curated Collections along with The Week's Best New Tracks
Based in Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 compilation, Antipodean jangle-pop, atmospheric pop
Newest project Going Back to Sleep out now
Matthew Xue, who performs under the moniker DJ Moopie in Melbourne, is renowned for deeply absorbing musical journeys that effortlessly shift between icy, atmospheric ambience to driving drum and bass and beyond. He is also the founder of A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to issuing 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.
In 2017, the label released I Won’t Have to Think About You, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired indie pop. Earlier this year, it put out Going Back to Sleep, a spiritual follow-up to that compilation which simultaneously serves as a carefully curated roadmap to several excellent bands in the gentle pop sphere active today. Sydney band Daily Toll, with a 2025 debut, A Profound Non-Event, that stands as one of the year’s underrated gems, present Time, a sprawling, seven-minute meditation featuring melodica and guitar. Chateau, the pair, featuring members Al Montfort and Alex Macfarlane, push into percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, while 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 features tracks from San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; minimalist Sydney group the Lewers; and sun-dappled folk-pop from Dutch duo the Hobknobs. It’s an unassuming compilation that’s likely to grow into a beloved and regularly mentioned resource for aficionados of all things delicate and deeply felt.
Fresh Tracks of the Week
Flea – A Plea
A rare solo track from the RHCP bass player, and a magnificently realised one: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz as Flea advocates for tranquility and compassion. “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 best original song in 2026 for this stunning Seyfried duet included in the score for the film The Testament of Ann Lee.
Jana Horn – All in Bet
This songwriter from Texas depicts all the nuances of melancholy on this deeply gloomy comeback, as delicate traces of piano and woodwind tinge her fatigued disillusionment.
Umor Rex – Lo Animal
It's not hard to picture the work of this Madrid cellist's dark, gothic composition touched by industrial music playing over scenes in Dune, with its thundering drums, piercing industrial noises, eerie chorals and cataclysmic majesty.
Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
The creative Austrian producer and singer teams up with Bristolian UK bass producer DJ Polo for some slamming ghettotech: the drums could knock you flat yet the melody approaches dream-pop.
Jawnino and Surf Gang – Hit Again
Featured on the fresh mixtape Amnesia, The UK's Jawnino rolls over diverse, ethereal rap production courtesy of Surf Gang, with this song standing as a peak moment, Jawnino alert and locked in as he surveys the world of narcotics.
Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Helmed by Ty Segall, this song with a garage vibe 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”.
