10 lost David Bowie tracks released on streaming for the first time

A collection of unheard, decades-old music from David Bowie has been released on streaming services for the first time.

Five "lost" Bowie tracks were discovered in 2016 by archivist and music historian Alec Palao, who then found another five unreleased singles while looking through a collection of old records.

The tracks were filed under Bowie’s birth name, Davie Jones, each dating back to 1965 when the late artist was at the nascent stages of his career in music, two years before the release of his eponymous debut album.

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Palao, who discovered the tracks some ten years ago, describes them as Bowie’s "most visceral and raw", BBC News reports, giving a snapshot into his life in ‘60s Britain.

All 10 tracks discovered by Palao have now been compiled and released for the first time, both on streaming services and as a physical LP titled ‘David Bowie - The Shel Talmy Recordings’, referencing the legendary producer he worked alongside to create them.

"David Bowie the artist is a book of chapters, the turn of each page delivering something completely different and unexpected from the last," Palao says in the sleeve notes of the album.

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He continues: "The sounds here should not be judged by the standards of his later career, but by the standards of what was happening in Britain at that precise point in time."

"They speak as loudly of the excitement of London and its music scene in that pivotal year of 1965 as they do for the launch of its brightest future star."

The record also features collaborative efforts, including those with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, and Nicky Hopkins, pianist for the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and The Who.

Find out more about ‘David Bowie - The Shel Talmy Recordings’ here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor