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.”
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.
