 Like the majority of songs that appear on "White Chalk", "When Under Ether" was written and performed on the piano, which is a departure from prior PJ Harvey albums.It is also similar to the other tracks in that it is short in length and sung in a higher register than expected.Musically, the song is quite sparse, centering on Harvey's vocals — which have an airy, otherworldly quality to them — and a subtle, repetitive piano melody.