Q&A: Ships Have Sailed on Vulnerability, Heartbreak, and Their Three-Part EP ‘Invisible Ink’
KNOWN FOR THEIR UPLIFTING SOUNDSCAPES, THOUGHTFUL LYRICS AND UNIQUE BLEND OF SINCERITY AND POP - Ships Have Sailed returns with a three part EP Invisible Ink. The dynamic indie rock project led by vocalist and guitarist Will Carpenter, has had a steady stream of releases that have earned them accolades, industry showcases, and international tours, the band continues to push the boundaries of their creativity.
Their latest release, Invisible Ink, delves into the darker complexities of love—betrayal, heartbreak, and the delicate balance between pain and beauty. Originally conceived as a single, Invisible Ink has evolved into a three-part EP, featuring the original track, a stripped-down version, and a dreamy remix, each capturing different shades of emotion.
In this exclusive interview, Ships Have Sailed discuss the inspirations behind Invisible Ink, their approach to capturing raw and authentic emotions, and how they continue to evolve their sound while staying true to their roots. Read below to explore the creative process behind their latest work and what fans can expect next from this compelling indie duo.
LUNA: "Invisible Ink" is a powerful exploration of the darker aspects of love, such as betrayal and heartbreak. What inspired you to delve into these themes, and how did you approach capturing both the pain and beauty in them?
SHS: We set out to make something as raw and emotive as we could, and how better to peel off your own skin (figuratively, of course) than to dig into the emotions around heartbreak, betrayal and the pain that both can invoke. Personally, I think there is beauty in literally everything, including pain – feeling things profoundly is part of what makes humanity what it is and so there is an inherent beauty in that…that’s what I was hoping would come through in this song.
LUNA: You mentioned that "Invisible Ink" was co-created with Bill O'Hanlon and Anita Majumdar in a virtual session. How did this collaboration come about, and what was it like to work so intimately with people you had just met?
SHS: Yes, so it was in the middle of the pandemic and the world was upside down, especially for musicians – our tour had gotten derailed as COVID took over and I was in a place of shock and also understanding that, if Ships Have Sailed was going to survive, I would need to find my resilience and pivot. Everyone was starting to connect online, and this particular connection came about through a virtual songwriting camp. Bill, Anita and I wound up in a group together and, in a way, I think there was some synergy to that, because we all came to the table that day ready to be vulnerable, ready to dig into the darkness, and ready to find some beauty in it all. We each brought very different experiences and sensibilities to the process, and I think the result is simply beautiful.
LUNA: The single has blossomed into a three-part EP, featuring the original track, a stripped-down version, and a dreamy remix. What made you decide to explore these different interpretations of the song, and what do each of these versions represent to you?
SHS: Great question. The original version has this massive, explosive bridge, which is so cathartic and, to a degree, unexpected – and the production in general very much leans electronic until that very moment. I knew as soon as we chose that direction for the original version, that I wanted to see how this song shone with a bit more of an organic and stripped back instrumentation, so the stripped version (which wound up featuring an electric guitar as opposed to an acoustic) came second…then I wanted to hear the original version with a slightly more drifty, ethereal bridge that wasn’t so aggressive, and so that version came next. Each version has its own beauty to it and each lends a different perspective to the song based on their specific delivery…I hope everyone listening takes the time to check out each and I’d love to hear what you all think!
LUNA: You’ve previously had success with tracks like "Silence," which was featured in Grey’s Anatomy, and "Get Loud," which was used by the LA Kings. How has your approach to songwriting evolved with these experiences, and how do they influence new tracks like "Invisible Ink"?
SHS: This is such a great question, and I really appreciate it, thank you! Yes, we’ve been so fortunate with both those opportunities and others – it’s an amazing thing to see the creative minds behind a show like Grey’s Anatomy and an organization like the LA Kings believe that our art can elevate theirs. As far as these things changing our approach, I will say that production style can very much influence the types of opportunities you find yourself presented with, but the biggest thing I’ll note about both the two songs that you mentioned is that they came from a very real, very true, very raw place – they were authentic and they truly meant something that needed to be breathed into the universe, so that’s really the cue that I listen for…the radical authenticity and an undeniable song that is begging me to be born. Then, in the production process we can steer the ship (so to speak) a little more deliberately, but never at the expense of that pure and raw emotive authenticity behind the song itself.
LUNA: You’ve has been praised for your ability to traverse different genres and moods. How does "Invisible Ink" fit within your broader musical journey, and how do you balance evolving your sound while staying true to your roots?
SHS: That is so kind of you to mention, and a compliment that never ceases to make me feel good, thank you! I honestly think that an eclectic, but cohesive sound has always been a part of the identity of Ships Have Sailed, so embracing a new tilt and constant progression is an important part of both our roots and our ongoing identity. As I mentioned in my previous comment, I don’t tend to create unless the song is truly ready to be born, so I do a lot of ‘listening’ if that makes sense…to my intuition and to the ideas in my brain and I just try to feel out what ideas or feelings are really calling to me at any moment. Those are the songs I bring to life and that drives the progression of this project.
LUNA: Your music often explores the wide range of human experiences, from joy to sorrow. How do you approach writing songs that resonate on such a deep emotional level, and what do you hope listeners take away from "Invisible Ink"?
SHS: To me, music has always been therapeutic – humanity is such a rollercoaster, isn’t it? And my life, although it’s definitely more level these days, has been tumultuous in many ways. The topics of the music tend to pull from my own experiences, although there are exceptions to that, and so really, I just pull from my own emotions and try to constantly explore my own depth, both the beautiful and the ugly, in as honest a way as I can. It’s amazing that people resonate with these creations, but really, they all just start with me. The biggest thing I wanted to express with “Invisible Ink” is how beautiful even the most painful experiences can be if we choose to observe them that way…it’s a perspective that has taken me a long time to develop and, truthfully, something I need to remind myself of when the going gets rough, but it’s the truth and that’s the one thing I hope shines through in this particular song.
LUNA: With the virtual room being an essential part of the creation process for "Invisible Ink," how has the digital landscape influenced your music-making in recent years, and do you find it liberating or challenging?
SHS: It’s both liberating and challenging to be able to create virtually – I think it’s amazing to be able to collaborate in real time with people who live anywhere in the world, but at the same time you sometimes have to make an extra effort to embrace and exude intimacy through a screen, and songwriting is an incredibly intimate experience if you’re doing it with radical honesty. With that said, we adapt and we learn the intricacies with all these new tools, and if the internet implodes tomorrow, we’ll adapt and figure that out as well!
LUNA: Looking ahead, what can fans expect from the rest of the three-part EP, and are there any other upcoming projects or live performances on the horizon for Ships Have Sailed?
SHS: There are always new projects on the horizon for us, this is a journey and I’m not ready to stop moving forward. I’ve been learning how to be a dad this past year and also in the process of building a recording studio, so live performances haven’t been as big a priority, but I do hope to change that in the not too distant future…and there is so much music being created behind the scenes it’s really a matter of what creations decide they need to be out in the world next as opposed to a question of whether there’s something in the pipeline. I’ve also been working with a bunch of super talented artists as a co-writer and producer, so there’s a lot of new music that will be making its way into the world, and a new studio to help hone the creative process…stay tuned!
CONNECT WITH SHIPS HAVE SAILED
