Michael Jackson – “Xscape”
When Michael Jackson died in 2009, he left behind a few unreleased recordings, and now Timbaland is overseeing their release, turning “contemporized” versions of those tracks into a new album called XSCAPE. Rodney Jerkins produced the LP’s title track, and it comes from Jackson’s kinda-underrated early-’00s Invincible period. I’m guessing Jerkins didn’t do a whole lot to update the track, which has that harsh, computerized sci-fi R&B sound of its era, and Jackson’s vocals are are percussive and paranoid as they ever were. I really like it. Listen here.
XSCAPE is out 5/13 on Epic.