Although Davis' live performances and recent albums "Miles in the Sky" (1968) and "Filles de Kilimanjaro" (1968) had indicated his stylistic shift towards electric instruments and jazz fusion, "In a Silent Way" featured a full-blown electric approach by Davis. It has been regarded by music writers as the first of Davis's fusion recordings, while marking the beginning of his . It is also the first recording by Davis that was largely constructed by the editing and arrangement of producer Teo Macero, whose editing techniques have incorporated elements of classical sonata form in Davis' recordings for "In a Silent Way". Both tracks on the album consist of three distinct parts that could be thought of as an exposition, development, and recapitulation, with the first and last third of each track being the same piece.