Michael Jackson fans are in for a treat. Epic Records and the Estate of Michael Jackson have announced that the King of Pop will release his “Xscape” album on May 13.
Jackson’s posthumous album will feature eight unreleased tracks that have been modernized by some of the industry’s top producers. The album is executive produced by Epic Records Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid, who was granted unlimited access to four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals.
Timbaland serves as the lead producer on the album, while other producers include Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome “Jroc” Harmon and John McClain.
“Modern music and artistry would look and sound completely different if not for the groundbreaking contributions Michael Jackson gifted to the world,” said Reid. “Michael left behind some musical performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed strong desire to work with. We are extremely proud and honored to present this music to the world.”
The title of Jackson’s new album honors his album naming process. Jackson always chose a song from his album to name his projects and, beginning with “Thriller,” used only one word titles, each with an edgy quality to them. This is true of the new project. Written and produced by Jackson and Jerkins, “Xscape” has further significance as it is the one track on the album that was ‘contemporized’ by the producer who recorded it originally in the studio with Jackson.
John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson said, “Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds. He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank L.A. Reid for his vision.”
There will be a standard edition and deluxe edition of “Xscape.” Both editions will be available for pre-order on April 1 on iTunes.
Earlier this month, a snippet of “Slave to the Rhythm,” produced by Timbaland, surfaced online.
