DJ Moopie's Intriguingly Atmospheric Curated Collections along with The Week's Best New Tracks
Hailing from Melbourne
Perfect for fans of the C86 compilation, Australian and New Zealand guitar pop, art-pop experimentation
Newest project Going Back to Sleep out now
The artist known as DJ Moopie, real name Matthew Xue, from Melbourne, is renowned for captivating and eclectic DJ sets that often traverse from icy, atmospheric ambience to pulsating breakbeats and beyond. He also runs A Colourful Storm – a remarkable DIY imprint that delivers far beyond its size when it comes to putting out charmingly moody experimental pop music, featuring a diverse roster including percussionist Valentina Magaletti, based in London, dubby Hobart duo Troth, and esteemed multi-disciplinary artist Simon Fisher Turner.
Back in 2017, the imprint put out I Won’t Have to Think About You, a collection of delightful, C86-inspired 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 active today. Daily Toll, a band from Sydney, whose 2025 debut A Profound Non-Event is an overlooked treasure of the year, contribute Time, a seven-minute melodica-and-guitar reverie. Chateau, the duo of Al Montfort (Terry, Total Control) and Alex Macfarlane (the Stevens, Twerps), push into percussive, psychedelic lounge pop on How Long on the Platform, and Who Cares?, one of Melbourne's best new bands, blend influences from Hope Sandoval and Eartheater on Wax and Wane.
Elsewhere, Going Back to Sleep showcases songs by San Francisco indie stalwarts the Reds, Pinks and Purples; the sparse-sounding Sydney ensemble the Lewers; and the sunny folk-pop of Netherlands-based duo the Hobknobs. It stands as a humble compilation that’s destined to be deeply cherished and often cited among connoisseurs of all things delicate and deeply felt.
Fresh Tracks of the Week
Flea – A Plea
A seldom-seen individual effort from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and it is superbly executed: propulsive but exploratory soul-jazz with Flea calling for tranquility and compassion. “No cheesiness here – this is the truth!”
Daniel Blumberg and Amanda Seyfried – Clothed By the Sun
Having won this year’s best original score Oscar, 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
This songwriter from Texas captures the full spectrum of a sigh on this deeply gloomy comeback, where the slightest touches of keys and wind instruments colour her weary disappointment.
Umor Rex – Lo Animal
One might readily envision the work of this Madrid cellist's gothic masterpiece with industrial shades on the soundtrack to Dune, thanks to its pounding percussion, screeching metallic sounds, eerie chorals and apocalyptic grandeur.
Zora Jones x DJ Polo – Hoes Link Up
Austrian visionary Zora Jones joins forces with Bristol-based UK bass maker 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
On new mixtape Amnesia, The UK's Jawnino flows over an assortment of cloud-rap instrumentals courtesy of Surf Gang, and this is one of its peaks, Jawnino alert and locked in as he observes the landscape of drug dealing.
Annabelle Chairlegs – Heavy Sleeper
Produced by Ty Segall, this song with a garage vibe moves forward stubbornly on its own schedule, from runaway truck to the musician from Austin's woozy reflection about how “my spirit is restored by the moon”.
