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[ColonelColon]

Timbaland is lead producer.

The project features eight new tracks, which the world will be hearing for the very first time on the new album. For the ultimate fan experience, XSCAPE will also be available in a Deluxe Edition, which includes all of the sourced Michael Jackson recordings in their original form

The album’s lead producer, Timbaland was one of a handful of producers Reid believed had the gravitas, depth and range to creatively engage with Jackson’s work. Additional producers include global hitmakers Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome “Jroc” Harmon and John McClain.

http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/news/xscape-new-album-coming-may-13th
The title track of this album actually leaked more than a decade ago, but I'm guessing the production will be different for this new album. edit: The leaked version of Xscape that I linked to earlier was taken down by Sony, but you could still find it if you search for "michael jackson" and "xscape" on youtube.
I think it's easily up there with the best of his leaked/unreleased/outtake songs.
Sony hasn't announced a track list yet, but maybe there will be a list tomorrow when pre-orders are available on iTunes. Slave to the Rhythm is in the new Xperia Z2 ad though, so it's safe to assume it will also be on this album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ9HkICDuOI

Unofficial official tracklist (not from Sony, but according to previews from people who heard the album):
1) Love Never Felt So Good
2) She Was Loving Me
3) Chicago
4)A Place With No Name
5) Do You Know Where Your Children Are
6) Slave to the Rhythm
7) Blue Gangsta
8) Xscape

 

[Courage]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

edit: Biggie is definitely an exception.

 

[zeemumu]

...Hmmm.....

 

[SuperAngelo64]

Just release the original Sonic 3 tapes.

 

[Data West]

Are post-mortem albums ever good?

 

[V_Ben]

Interested... cautious, but interested.

 

[Courage]

Yeah, I was about to edit in that album in my post.

 

[Castcoder]

Just release the original Sonic 3 tapes.

It would cause a scandal in the Sonic community.

 

[Ric Flair]

Timbaland is lead producer.

http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/news/xscape-new-album-coming-may-13th
The title track of this album actually leaked more than a decade ago, but I'm guessing the production will be different for this new album. Here's the leaked version of Xscape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf0QrTFlZII
I think it's easily up there with the best of his leaked/unreleased/outtake songs.
Sony hasn't announced a track list yet, but maybe there will be a list tomorrow when pre-orders are available on iTunes. Slave to the Rhythm is in the new Xperia Z2 ad though, so it's safe to assume it will also be on this album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ9HkICDuOI

Is that really him in the demo track? Maybe I just don't know what he sounded like later in life, but that youtube video sounds like someone trying to sound like Mike.

 

[Aiii]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

Only when it's an album the artist was working on actively shortly before their death.

In all other cases there's a reason the songs weren't previously released.

 

[Social]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

edit: Biggie is definitely an exception.

I liked it a lot, Jackson's real vocals or not

 

[SuperAngelo64]

It would cause a scandal in the Sonic community.

Because the Sonic community is such an upstanding circle.

 

[Takamura-San]

This should be interesting, but did Michael wrote it in 94?

 

[Chairhome]

Damn, took my reply! ^^

 

[sixteen-bit]

Just release the original Sonic 3 tapes.

Really curious to hear them. Supposedly, he wasn't satisfied with the sound hardware.

 

[Emperor Bohe]

wasn't that album finished before he died though?

 

[Kaladin]

While I'm interested....ugh Timbaland.

 

[Air]

I'm interested. Liked the title track.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

 

[Epcott]

Here's hoping a modern produced Sunset Driver is included.

Here's also hoping this is more Aaliyah final album and Justified and less 20/20 and Tom Ford.

 

[Kccitystar]

This should be interesting, but did Michael wrote it in 94?

OK, I laughed.

But seriously, MJ was one of those guys who would ALWAYS be in the studio, and if the BAD 25th documentary is any indication, he'd have an "A" team and a "B" team to work with and produce tracks to compete with each other to be put on one album.

 

[Himynameischris]

I liked that track in the ad, hope it's good his music was awesome

 

[Ahasverus]

Optimistic. Michael haf good tracks but they said there is unreleasef material for 5 albums so perhaps this will be better. Lovely 2 known songs.

 

[IceCold]

Fuck I hate when they change his songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0SA3-uJG8U

The OG slave to the rhythm is perfectly fine.

Only when it's an album the artist was working on actively shortly before their death.

In all other cases there's a reason the songs weren't previously released.

MJ has a lot of great songs in the vault though.

 

[Bel Marduk]

Hmmmm... I'm very curious to hear this album but "Michael" was terrible...

 

[FoneBone]

wasn't that album finished before he died though?

Yeah. Not really the same thing.

 

[Booty Patrol]

There is no way this will not be awful.

 

[Oozer3993]

I have no doubt this will be awesome. The original version of "Xscape" (the song) is fantastic, the new version of Slave to the Rhythm sounds great and it's extremely likely this will include "Chicago," i.e. the original demo for "Smooth Criminal," one of the greatest pop songs ever. And there's the chance that the album will also include "Can't Get Your Weight Off Me," snippets of which sound awesome.

 

[Nethaniah]

Timbaland huh.....

 

[Queen of Hunting]

so demos that arent really song but they have been touched into songs.

 

[Phatosaurus]

Sweet, can't wait for the hologram tour.

 

[RedHotChimiChanga]

8 unreleased songs? That's a lot...

I did like Tupac's Changes, which was released post-mortem.

 

[Space Runaway]

I'm curious. Sample song is good and I like all(Or at least most of) the previous unreleased tracks that have been put out.

Edit: Typos

 

[FairyD]

I guess this is why a place with no name was leaked last December.

 

[Azure Dream]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

edit: Biggie is definitely an exception.

A rumor was that Michael supposedly recorded a catalog of songs (somewhere around 100?) specifically that the record labels couldn't directly touch, so his estate could release them over time after his death to make sure his children were taken care of. They weren't unfinished scraps, as is usually the case; he planned ahead to have posthumous album releases.

 

[kodecraft]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

edit: Biggie is definitely an exception.

 

[thecouncil]

Only when it's an album the artist was working on actively shortly before their death.

In all other cases there's a reason the songs weren't previously released.

all i know is that this track was released after his death, was supposedly from his Thriller days and its kinda incredible.

 

[Deleted member 57681]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

edit: Biggie is definitely an exception.

 

[enzo_gt]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

edit: Biggie is definitely an exception.

Pac definitely had multiple solid projects after he died. Damn near all of them, actually.

 

[soundscream]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ9HkICDuOI

When bathing I always dump my phone in tub for the hell of it.

 

[fader]

Are post-mortem albums ever good? How was Michael after all?

edit: Biggie is definitely an exception.

The Don Killuminati was amazing but then again he had full control and finished recording that album before he was killed.

 

[Jigolo]

That's a killer album cover

 

[DJMicLuv]

Produced by Young Humma.

 

[Epcott]

That's a killer album cover

Yeah it is, me likes.

I was hoping to hear Xscape by the time I made it home from work, but its been taken down

You know, I always wish Kanye actually worked on an MJ album. Perhaps 808's would have been amazing with MJ in place of Auto-kan?

 

[CherryWoodFuton]

Timbaland and MJ?

Sign me up

 

[hgarrett54]

Am I the only one who noticed that the silver circle on the album cover conveniently covers his nose?

 

[TriniTrin]

Am I the only one who noticed that the silver circle on the album cover conveniently covers his nose?

what nose?
AMIRITE! LOLOL

...

 

[SCReuter]

Fuck I hate when they change his songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0SA3-uJG8U

The OG slave to the rhythm is perfectly fine.

That's a scrapped mix produced by Tricky Stewart in 2010. The original Dangerous-era version, which has yet to be publicly released, will likely be included in the deluxe edition of the new album, in addition to the 2014 Timbaland reworking.

 

[fauxtrot]

So, will the standard album only be 8 songs or is it more like actual LP length and it's just that 8 of them are previously unreleased?

 

[Dorsal Axe]

I'm glad Slave to the Rhythm is getting a proper release at last. Especially after that silly twit Justin Bieber tried to worm his way into it.