ðə juːnˈiːk sˈaʊnd ʌvðə ɡɪtˈɑːɹ, dᵻskɹˈaɪbd baɪ dˈeɪvɪd jˈæf ɪn ɹˈɛkləs dˈɔːɾɚ: ɐ pˈoːɹtɹɪt ʌv dʒˈoʊni mˈɪtʃəl æz "ɐ kəmpjˈuːɾɚɹˌaɪzd ɐpɹˌɑːksɪmˈeɪʃən əvə ɡɪtˈɑːɹ wɪð ɐ hˈɛd kˈoʊld", kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɐ mˈoːɹ ˌætməsfˈɛɹɪk, ˈæmbiənt sˈaʊnd wˌɪtʃ ɪz pɹˈɛvələnt θɹuːˈaʊt ðɪ ˈælbəm.
The unique sound of the guitar, described by David Yaffe in Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell as "a computerized approximation of a guitar with a head cold", created a more atmospheric, ambient sound which is prevalent throughout the album.