Post-1950 contemporary classical/instrumental that is mind-bending and innovative, but not "organized noise"? Seeking beauty, melody, and genuine emotional weight

I'm looking to expand my horizons into post-1950 and contemporary classical (it doesn't have to be considered classical technically), but I keep hitting a wall with modern works that feel overly academic, abrasive, or like "chaos for the sake of complexity."

I recently tried dipping into Thomas Adès, and while the craftsmanship is obvious, it struck me as mostly abrasive dissonance lacking melody or emotional resonance (maybe I just started with the wrong pieces, or maybe I haven't developed the ear or wasn't in the right mood when listening).

I'm searching for composers or movements from the last ~75 years who push boundaries and create truly novel, inventive, mind-bending sound worlds, but still ground their work in melody, emotional depth, or profound atmospheric beauty. I don't want cheap, sentimental movie-score clichés, nor do I want sterile serialism or dissonant sonic assaults (i love dissonance but when it resonates).

What composers, genres, or specific gateway pieces do you recommend that strike this balance?