A new Michael Jackson album featuring eight previously unheard recordings will be released on May 13 through Epic Records. The posthumous record, titled XSCAPE is produced by Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome Harmon and John McClain.

Michael JacksonMichael Jackson at the 15th Annual American Music Awards

According to a statement, the combination of Jackson's material with revamped contemporary production adds a "fresh sound" that retains Jackson's essence and integrity.  Epic Records Chairman L.A Reid was reportedly granted unlimited access to the four decades of Jackson's vocal only material. He then teamed up with Timbaland and other producers to "contemporize" the songs 

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"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," Reid said in a statement.

A deluxe edition of XSCAPE will also include a selection of original recordings. Both the standard and deluxe versions are available to pre-order from 1 April through iTunes and other distributors. 

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"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," said John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson.

Since his death in 2009, Epic Records has continually released Jackson's material, including a reissue of Bad, a remix album titled Immortal and several posthumous compilations, including This Is It.

A post on Michael Jackson's official Twitter page read: "New @MichaelJackson album! XSCAPE, comprised of previously unreleased songs, out May 13th! More at http://www.michaeljackson.com  #MJXSCAPE"

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