As Bilal emerged solo at the century’s turn after cutting his teeth in Philly jazz clubs and voicing the avant-garde Soulquarians, outside ears labeled his work neo-soul. But, as the pioneer has proven, even subgenres don’t suffice. Composing comfortably from left of center, the intuition-driven song vessel fuses jazz chording, hip-hop beats, and free-form vocal dexterity into his own sonic presence. His sixth full-length (and first drop in almost a decade), Adjust Brightness, reads like a reliably fresh, circular trek stacked with tangents and plot twists. Catch his Austin stop Sunday at Antone’s with local unleashed drummer-fronted project SKETCH. – Amber Williams