Posthumous Michael Jackson album set for release in May
Five years after the death of the "King of Pop", a posthumous Michael Jackson album due in May is set to thrill fans with eight previously unreleased songs, Epic Records announced.
Five years after the death of the "King of Pop", a posthumous Michael Jackson album due in May is set to thrill fans with eight previously unreleased songs, Epic Records announced.
The album, due for release on May 13, is called , which is also one of the new tracks mined from Jackson's archives.
He was always relevant and current. These tracks capture that spirit
After gaining access to four decades of the late singer's material, Epic Records, a subsidiary of Sony, chose eight songs that featured completed vocal tracks by Jackson, it said on Monday.
The record company then asked producers to "contemporise" the music while "retaining Jackson's essence and integrity", it said in a statement.
Among the producers brought in to give a modern edge to the tracks were global hitmakers Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Stargate and John McClain.
A deluxe edition will include a selection of the recordings in their original form.
"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," said John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of Jackson's estate.
Epic Records published its first posthumous Jackson album in 2010.
included nine previously unreleased songs, mostly drawn from the singer's final recording sessions.
"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," said Epic Records chairman and chief executive L. A. Reid.
"We are extremely proud and honoured to present this music to the world."
The title track of was said to have been written by Jackson and producer Jerkins, who worked with Jackson on his 2001 album .
