the advance group in any field, esp. in the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and experimental methods.

of or pertaining to the experimental treatment of artistic, musical, or literary material.

belonging to the avant-garde

an avant-garde composer.

unorthodox or daring; radical.

adjective

conservative , conventional

adjective

beat * , experimental , head * , hip * , innovative , lead , leading-edge , liberal , new , new wave , pioneering , progressive , radical , state-of-the-art , vanguard , leaders , offbeat , original , trailblazing , trendsetting , van