Michael Jackson to release new album this May

It's always an odd concept when a musician returns from the grave to put out a new album, the releases often comprise demo recordings cut and paste over flavourless, cyborg-made backing tracks. Though, if this recently uncovered acapella version of 'Beat It', composed solely by the King of Pop is anything to go by, then I'm sure his just announced forthcoming album will have no trouble retaining the unescapable charisma.

This May, five years after his death, Michael Jackson will release a new album titled Xscape, including eight previously recorded but unreleased songs.

The album came about after Epic Records CEO L.A. Reid was given access to four decades of Jacko's material. He then went on to curate a final list of recordings and employed producers Timbaland, Stargate, Jerome Harmon and Rodney Jerkins to rework the songs. It will also feature the recordings in their original form.

The album will be release May 13, 2014. Shamone.