HMV in the UK sold an exclusive version of Plastic Beach that included one or two additional tracks, depending on the format (CD or digital). The most common HMV exclusive track is:
Some HMV pre-order or deluxe digital versions also included:
Note: The primary bonus track associated with HMV is "Pirate's Progress". If your FLAC files include 17 or 18 tracks instead of 16, that is the likely addition. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach 2010 -FLAC- HMV
Open the FLAC in Spek or Audacity. A true CD rip (44.1kHz/16-bit) will cut off sharply at 22.05 kHz. If you see a hard cut at 16 kHz or 20 kHz, it is a transcode (an MP3 converted back to FLAC). Plastic Beach has high-frequency percussion (e.g., the shakers in “Superfast Jellyfish”) that should shine up to the Nyquist limit.
If you are a casual listener streaming Plastic Beach on your phone speaker, no. HMV in the UK sold an exclusive version
If you are a fan running a DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) through a pair of Sennheiser HD600s or a vintage Marantz amplifier—yes, absolutely.
The "Gorillaz - Plastic Beach 2010 -FLAC- HMV" represents the last moment before streaming homogenized the listening experience. It is a specific, physical artifact’s digital ghost. It captures the grit of the plastic, the shine of the synths, and the despair of the virtual band stranded on a real island of waste. Some HMV pre-order or deluxe digital versions also included:
Damon Albarn built a floating garbage paradise. Listening to it in FLAC from the HMV exclusive is the only way to truly hear the ocean hum.