Not many people can combine the worlds of contemporary, avant garde and club sounds the way ‘A Colourful Storm’ label head Moopie can. Having birth the label out of the highly regarded mix series of the same name releasing names like Klon Dump, Valentina Magaletti and some beautiful compilations curated from Time Is Away to name a few, Moopie real name Matthew Xue, has shown he has a phenomenal ear for the diverse and interesting. This same ear also applies to his outstanding DJ sets which have seen him join stages with the likes of Ben UFO, Helena Hauff as well as taking the helms recently in Pickle Factory all night long to a solid packed venue til morning. For this mix Moopie has supplied us with a live recording of his opening set for Objekt and CCL in Melbourne. A perfect example of his vast stylings bringing the mood filled room into a raucous party. We had a quick chat about the mix, whats coming up and the label with the man himself.
Hey Matthew, thanks for joining us! Can you tell us about your mix and what the idea behind it was?
The mix is the opening hour of my set before Objekt and CCL at Miscellania last month. I was hoping to play the vibe of the opening section for the entire set but people showed up too early! It contains a bunch of downtempo and considerably pitched down stuff that still sounds intense on big sound systems.
Can you tell us a bit about how you usually approach recording a mix or a set?
I often overthink mixes recorded at home and prefer playing and recording in live settings. In terms of preparing for a set, I look for tracks that I imagine would work in a particular place and then loosely categorise them into energy levels and feelings.
What are your preferred methods for finding new music—do you still enjoy digging around in dusty crates, or do you prefer to buy online?
For some reason, I still love records but most of the tracks I find to play out end up on digital format, whether through online retailers, artists and labels themselves, or vinyl rips.
You started A Colourful Storm in 2016. How did this come about and what inspires you to find music for the label?
The label began out of a mix series of the same name, started by Bentley and Calum James five or so years earlier. The idea was just to release music that I love by people around me and that hasn’t really changed. Beautiful music is everywhere so finding inspiration is the easy part.
What is your dream setting for a DJ set?
Sound, space and lighting are obviously important but I think the best experiences for me, and I’m sure for many attendees, have been when organisers and venues, on all levels, from ownership to staff, have shared the same vision and love for the music they promote.
What do you have up your sleeve for 2024?
Currently I’m planning a European and North American tour that will start in July. On the label side of things, there are two introspective albums coming out soon, by Scythe and Unchained, and a bunch of things that will finally see the light of day after delays over the past couple of years.
Tracklist
