How I Became the Sea

I think this song is the story of his career. He starts the song talking about "June", which could be referring to "Of June". It was his first release and completely independent (dug by hand). From there he started gaining more attention, "waves" of fans and potential fame, but he was content to "stay dry" of them and hide inside his small shell, restricting himself to the satisfaction of having a released EP. "Nodding off inside" might even refer to the "Maybe I'm Dreaming" album.

After that, he sings about the fame he gained from Ocean Eyes ("when my eyes turned blue and green"). The "gorgeous sound" could be referring to the album itself, or perhaps the sound of a full crowd of cheering fans. At that point, his whole world changed as he was shoved into the limelight, like a ship (the Empress) crashing into his life. However, the opportunity allowed him to become a part of something bigger (the sea), which could refer to a message he's trying to spread with his music or the repeating cycle of the music industry he often speaks of.

The next part may be a prediction for the future of his career. He begins tearing the ship, his fame, apart and it slowly disappears into the sea (more evidence that the sea refers to the cycle). Even in the midst of his successful career ("shallow dreams"), he can feel his fame coming to an end (the end of its day, its "eventide").

Emotionally speaking, the song overall is about the exhilarating feeling of suddenly being shoved into something much bigger than yourself, and allowing yourself to become a part of it.