New Releases category interest

Today, GRAMMY Award-winning artist Bilal makes a triumphant return with his first album of new music in eight years, Adjust Brightness, out now on all major streaming platforms. His long-awaited release features 11 brand-new tracks that showcase Bilal’s visionary approach to blending soul, funk, jazz, and futuristic electronic elements, offering listeners an immersive and boundary-pushing sonic experience. Following the success of his June Black Music Month project, Live at Glasshaus, which featured musical heavyweights like Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper, and more, Bilal’s Adjust Brightness takes his artistry to new heights. The album is a bold step forward in his evolving sound, continuing to defy genre conventions and highlight his unmatched vocal and musical prowess.

Reflecting on his new album, Bilal shares, “I wanted to create music that challenges the digital age — music that confuses the algorithms and speaks to our humanity. Adjust Brightness is about love, warmth, and intimacy. It’s an intimate, human record that speaks to the heart in an era of cold, digital sounds.”

Stream Adjust Brightness HERE.

Eight years following 2015’s In Another Life, a collaboration with Adrian Younge that drew from the psychedelic verve of vintage funk, Adjust Brightness marks a bold new chapter for Bilal. This album is a giant step forward, as Bilal merges his organic, soulful roots with experimental electronic influences inspired by artists like Aphex Twin, Stereolab, and Jai Paul. The creation of Adjust Brightness was deeply inspired by a period of musical and visual experimentation. Bilal began to approach his music much like a painter approaches a canvas — focusing on moods, textures, and atmospheres rather than traditional song forms. His experiences with experimental jazz and live performances fed into this avant-garde direction, and tracks like “Sunshine” and “Humility” highlight his innovative use of atmospheric grooves, intricate beats, and sonic manipulation. Though he’s venturing into new territory, the album retains the warmth, intimacy, and emotional core that have always defined Bilal’s artistry.

Earlier this year, during Black Music Month, Bilal released the critically acclaimed Live at Glasshaus (via Glasshaus Presents), a mid-career retrospective featuring Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper, and Burniss Travis. The live record presented Bilal within an ensemble of luminaries to reimagine standouts from his classic repertoire, shining a spotlight on his ever-evolving artistry that asserts, in 2024, he is at the height of his powers, eternally honing his craft and finding new edges in his voice.

 

In celebration of Adjust Brightness, Bilal will embark on a national tour with stops in New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, and more. Fans can look forward to experiencing Bilal’s electrifying live performances, with a setlist featuring both new material from Adjust Brightness and classic hits from his storied career. This tour will offer fans across the country the opportunity to witness the next chapter in Bilal’s evolution as an artist. For full tour dates and ticket information, visit https://linktree.ee/officialbilal

 

Adjust Brightness Tracklist

Evr Chngin Nrml

Sunshine

Lay Around

Tell Me

Who We Are Now

A2Z

The Story featuring Robert Glasper

Micro Macro

Adjust Brightness 

Conditional

Quantum Universe

Adjust Brightness Tour

Oct 07 - The Egg - Albany, NY

Oct 08 - Crystal Ballroom - Somerville, MA

Oct 09 - World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA   w/ Melanie Charles

Oct 10 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY w/ Madison McFerrin

Oct 11 - Birchmere - Alexandria, VA

Oct 13 - City Winery Atlanta - Atlanta, GA w/ Halima

Oct 14 - City Winery Nashville - Nashville, TN  w/ Aliah Sheffield

Oct 16 - City Winery St. Louis - St. Louis, MO  w/ Aliah Sheffield

Oct 17 - Ramova Theater - Chicago, IL  w/ Madison McFerrin

Oct 19 - Englert Theatre - Iowa City, IA  w/ Aliah Sheffield

Oct 20 - The Dakota - Minneapolis, MN

Oct 22 - The Lodge Room - Los Angeles, CA (Jazz Is Dead)

Oct 23 - Cornerstone Craft Beer andamp; Live Music - Berkeley, CA (Jazz Is Dead)

Oct 24 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR (Jazz Is Dead)

Oct 25 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA (Jazz Is Dead)

Oct 26 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC