As long time fans of Koresma's music, it was such a pleasure to write this one with him. We think it's minimal in the best possible way and we really strived to keep things simple. Koresma's beautiful guitar lines really brought it to life and we think what resulted is the perfect balance of uplifting and chill, a great soundtrack to throw on whenever you need to focus or just come back into the present moment.

Midnight Pass X Koresma - Kinetic

Overall Impression
 “Sails Up” reveals a different creative tide in shpakOO’s creative waters, one that turns away from the kinetic, jazz-tinged, progressive-electronica momentum of the previously reviewed “EFn’T” and instead drifts into deeper, contemplative currents. Where the earlier track leaned on animated movement and playful flourishes, “Sails Up” is defined by its arresting sense of atmosphere and patience. Ambient pads provide the tracks absorbing backdrop, while soft, introspective piano phrases emerge and recede with a level of grace that feels deeply intriguing. Melodic synth elements remain present, but they’re subdued and internalized here, serving the mood rather than driving it. The result is a soundscape that feels suspended in time—less about progression and more about immersion. 


Strongest Point(s)
What makes the track so deeply absorbing is its balance between beauty and unease. There’s a dreamlike quality to the melodic writing, but it’s threaded with an oddly eerie undertone that keeps the listener alert and emotionally engaged. ShpakOO isn’t afraid to flirt with harmonic tension, and those moments of dissonance feel deliberate and expressive rather than jarring. A standout example comes at 1:31, when the bass synth momentarily drops out of pitch, bending the harmonic floor beneath the listener before gently settling back into place. It’s a brief but powerful gesture, one that subtly destabilizes the atmosphere and adds emotional weight, like a passing doubt or shadow crossing an otherwise calm inner landscape. These contrasts—delicacy against disquiet—give “Sails Up” its hypnotic pull.


Taken as a whole, the track feels both bold and poignant. The performances are nuanced and restrained, the writing thoughtful without being overly literal, and the arrangement carefully sculpted to let textures do the storytelling. Every sound feels chosen for its emotional resonance rather than its ability to impress, allowing layers to breathe and interact naturally. “Sails Up” doesn’t rush to make its point; it invites the listener to linger, to feel, and to interpret. In doing so, shpakOO crafts an instrumental that is rich in atmosphere and meaning, one that quietly asserts itself as a deeply evocative piece of new-age inspired electronica.


Target Audience Appeal
Fans of atmospheric electronica and new-age styles will find this to be thoroughly absorbing.

BandCamp

Sails Up

shpakOO - 
by day - a scientist, 
by passion - a musician;

creates instrumental music;

child of the VERY early 80's;

grew up on and still listening to:
 
Jean-Michel Jarre, 
Marek Bilinski,
Vangelis,
Kitaro,
Mike Oldfield, 
Solar Fields, 
Aes Dana, 
Carbon-Based Life Forms,
Hybrid, 
Trentemøller,
Ulrich Schnauss,
Joe Hisaishi,
Danny Elfman, 
Vladimir Cosma …

Sails Up

shpakOO

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