Michael used his breath as an instrument. In the multitracks, you can hear his beatboxing and rhythmic gasps that are often buried in the final mix. These weren't accidents; they were intentional rhythmic anchors.
In Billie Jean , the famous beat is anchored by a drum machine (Linn LM-1). But listen to the multitrack stem of just Michael’s vocal percussion: a sharp puff of breath for the hi-hat, the slap of a leather jacket for the snare. It blurs the line between singer and drummer.
