The koilwood song “SHIPS” is slightly defeated but not broken; it’s the sound of a person confidently coming to terms with quiet changes brought on by time. The track’s tightly crafted, repetitive instrumental build-up suggests the collapsing cycles of nature and life itself, while its soft, intoxicating vocals, reminiscent of Thundercat, are both melancholic and warm. The artist—who, it should be noted, lists their birthplace as aether, which is a term taken from Greek mythology used to describe a cosmic region beyond the elemental sphere—talks about “SHIPS” as a blend of memories and feelings about childhood rooted in a certain sense of loss. It’s understated but sure to resonate with anyone whose churning internal life points out to the heavens.