“I didn’t know we were going to surprise [Jive] like that,” songwriter/producer Garrett says of “Wall,” which unexpectedly became the first single from “Exclusive,” due Aug. 28. “But it’s giving us a great kickoff. Chris was ready to go. He’s antsy.”

In addition to Bryan-Michael Cox and Garrett, among the contributors on “Exclusive” are Dre & Vidal, Scott Storch and the Underdogs. Coming in as part of the expansion team are will.i.am, T-Pain, Stargate, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, R. Kelly and Pharrell.

Containing elements of rock and go-go — the latter a nod to Brown’s Virginia/Washington, D.C., roots — new tracks previewed by Billboard demonstrate Brown’s juggling act between edgy/more mature while still satisfying the radio programmers and fans behind his success. The mix of uptempo songs and ballads is in keeping with Brown’s energetic fusion of R&B, hip-hop and pop.

The final decision as to which tracks will make the cut won’t be made until after the label’s recording deadline. Aside from “Fallen Angel” (co-written by Brown and Adonis Shropshire), among the cuts in contention are the Cox-produced “Diagnosed With Love,” a midtempo number whose piano intro segues into spirited bass and hand-clap accompaniment, the gospel-oriented message song “Save Me” and the will.i.am-helmed “Picture Perfect.”

“My last album was rocking,” Brown tells Billboard. “I just want to keep moving and building.” The artist will begin a tour in support of “Exclusive” in October, and in November, will hit the big screen in the film “This Christmas.”