Just Like Heaven (‘Chuck’ Remix) by The Cure
Album: Join the Dots
‘Join the Dots’ is a near-complete box set of Cure rarities and b-sides. There are also a few gems, like this remix of everyone’s favourite Cure song. (It is everyone’s favourite, too; I asked.) Imagine a bass-heavy stripped-down version with drums at half-tempo, plus eclectic percussion. That’s about it. It dampens the sunnyness, but maintains the listenability if you’re not feeling all that hyper.

M1 A1 by Gorillaz
Album: Gorillaz
There’s something unsettling about hearing someone hollering for help and not getting any, which is what you’ll hear in the first two minutes of this Gorillaz tune. What happens after is banging and screaming, and it sounds fantastic. This is Youngest Boy’s favourite Gorillaz song. I’ve found him putting it on at times and dancing. That’s him.

Strange 9 to 9 by Clan of Xymox
Album: Subsequent Pleasures
This album is a collection of the early Xymox demos that got them signed to 4AD. As such, they’re a bit rough. You can hear the echo-y guitars and plaintive vocals that would serve them in such good stead on later albums like Medusa. Although this song isn’t really fully formed, it’s still an interesting snapshot of where Xymox was at the time.

Caramel by Blur
Album: 13
Lots of Blur songs have a definite pop-song structure, but on this track they’re pulling into atmospheric territory. It starts with a dreamy guitar-induced texture, as syrupy as the name would suggest. At the same time there’s a lot of pain, Damon without Justine, walking around in a dull muffled haze, repeating lyrics like “I’ve gotta get over/I’ve gotta get over/I’ve got to get better/Will love you forever”. Sometimes the noise in your head can sound like this. It jumps on you like flies as soon as you wake up.

Jack-Ass by Beck
Album: Odelay
The cover gives a hint of the strangeness inside. What is that thing? How did they get a bale of hay to jump? No, no, no. That’s a dog, a komondor — you can tell by the black nose up front.
A relaxing song for the porch that quickly unravels, and finishes with the braying of the titular donkey. Then I think it gets attacked by wolves.