Brian Eno and David Byrne: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (experimental, kinda spooky, uses a lot of found sound like samples from radio, the Qur'an, an exorcism, folk tales from the Gullah people of South Carolina. lots of good bass and afrobeat)

Japan: Tin Drum (new wave avant-guard often mistaken for New Romanticism, lots of Japanese and Chinese influences as you might expect, maybe to the point of insensitivity or appropriation but I'll let you decide.)

King Crimson: Larks' Tongues in Aspic (improvisational progressive rock with jazz elements--if I had to pick a favorite King Crimson album, this would be it. I find the polyrhythms nice to jog to)

Sneaker Pimps: Splinter (90s trip-hop, full of atmospheric guitar a la shoegaze. really nice to chill out to and my go-to during big life changes. I fell asleep in a car to it once during a hot summer)

Keane: Under the Iron Sea (a band that [used to be] composed of only a singer, drummer, and piano which makes for a really interesting sound [for a pop band]. the singer has a huge range and in this, the band's second album, the piano has a filter on it that gives it an interesting kinda metallic flavor that's at times similar to electric guitar. this was my absolute favorite during my middle school years and I still think the songs are extremely catchy)