Love Never Felt So Good Hits All The Right Notes | Xscape | Michael Jackson




So Sony released  today as the first single from  and I have to say I love what  has done with the production. It was written in the  era and a very basic version of it has been on  for quite some time, but I do love this updated version. Funnily enough it stands up amongst contemporary releases even though it was never intended to be released. This 'Off The Wall-esque' sound has had a real resurgence of late because of artists like Justin Timberlake and Pharrel dabbling in the sound as recently as Timberlakes last album in 2013, 'The 20/20 experience'...





The track easily sounds like something Timberlake would release right now which is fitting as his vocals have been added to the song as a posthumous duet. If I were to be hyper critical I would suggest that Michael's vocals are a little low in the mix-I'm sure Timbaland did his best with the mid 80's recordings but I do feel at times his vocal gets a teensy bit drowned. Other than that, Michael sounds angelic on the track which was recorded by Johnny Mathis for his 1984 album. Once again it's one of those moments where the mind boggles at the magic Michael would have created with contemporary producers had he lived.

Michael Jackson fans will always be touchy about the way Michael's legacy is handled, but I'm taking this album for what it is-a collection of souped up recordings of songs that Michael, when it comes to the older ones at least, obviously had no intention of releasing.  Michael had released demos while he was still alive on compilation albums such as The Ultimate Collection, so we can safely assume he wouldn't mind his unfinished work being released. The important thing is that the releases are honest and legitimate. The fact that the first offering is actually good is a bonus. Although the hard core fans amongst us will already have heard these original demos, it is a beautiful thing to see people around the world enjoying Michael Jackson and celebrating him through these new imaginings of his recordings, and with Love Never Felt So Good, Timbaland has breathed life into what was a very basic recording. For me, just hearing Michael's acapellas are enough to give me goosies, but when I woke up to this 'new track' this morning, just for a second I forgot that he was gone and felt a sliver of the excitement I felt when MJ was releasing something new. Just for a second. 


Here's Usher premiering the track on the IHeartRadio Music Awards:







What do you think of the 'new' offering? Let me know in the comments below!


Flying kisses!


Anita xxxx

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