Photo credits to Parastar Entertainment.
Big Ocean is back with another single following their soft ballad “Make it up to you,” which they released on May 19th. “Love Sign,” released on Sep 9th, takes a swift departure from the sweet song “Make it up to you” into a full sensual pop song, complete with a catchy chorus fit for radio. The song starts out with a steamy jazz beat before moving into a swanky pop beat, overlaid with gorgeous vocals, before a rap section by member JISEOK.
The highlight of the track truly is the chorus, crooning to the listener that they are willing to speak to them in any language, with the names of several global sign languages dropped within the chorus.
“A-S-L [American Sign Language], B-S-L [British Sign Language], keep your eyes on my fingertips
L-S-M [Lengua de Señas Mexicana], L-S-C [Lengua de Señas Colombiana], I’ll sign whatever you want to see
K-S-L [Korean Sign Language], see, let my fingers say what I need (What I need)
A-S-A-P, put your hands all over me”
The appeal to many languages is a witty way of showing the theme of the song overall — Big Ocean are willing to talk in whatever language you need. This is not the end of the witticisms and innuendo within the song though, as there is an intense focus on showing attraction with their hands. The members ask you to talk to them with your hands — but they definitely do not only mean sign language.
JISEOK states, “[He] can work [his] fingers till you scream,” PJ tells the listener, “내 손끝의 언어 [The language of my fingertips], only you would understand,” while CHANYEON pulls off a gorgeous high note while saying “Move closer, move in silence, 가득히 채워줄게 [I can fill it up].” They are bold and forward with their attraction, and they know how to use their signature to their benefit – they reiterate they are good with their hands. The song rounds out with an addictive post chorus, which changes the end line from “hands all over me” to “lips all over me,” before ending on a high note.
“What’s your sign? Now, baby, sign to me what you need
What’s your sign? I can work my fingers until you scrеam
What’s your sign? Can’t wait to get on my knees
A-S-A-P, put your lips all over me
A-S-A-P, put your lips all over me”
This motif is probably even more present in the music video, released on Sep 8th. The music video starts with a seductive montage of two people embracing closely in the rain, before quickly shifting to the actual track. The music video parallels many old-school K-Pop music videos, featuring a twist towards the end that the main actress (played by BOMSEOL KIM) finally ran into the man haunting her dreams – the man from the beginning of the video.
Interspersed throughout the video are Big Ocean’s signature mix of KSL and ASL within their choreography, not only telling you to focus on their fingertips in the lyrics, but in sign, and in their directorial direction. The trio dances on rooftops, in the water, and laid down on beds, while showing off their physique, and of course, their hands. The three members take turns vying for the affection of the leading lady, before JISEOK eventually is revealed to be the one she cannot stop dreaming of. The music video ends, refreshingly enough, with a montage of behind the scene clips, set to the actual ambient noise of the set. The clips are a great reminder that even though they are showing intense charms throughout the song, that this is a group of genuine and sweet people, who are very excited to create and to keep creating.
The song and the music video are a marked shift from their past music, but it is in no way something negative. The new niche of sensual pop works incredibly well for JISEOK, PJ, and CHANYEON, and their silky vocals truly lend itself to the smoothness of the song. The only criticism would be that the song, for all its charms, is a tad too short, at just under two minutes. However, it presents a great hors d’oeuvre for what is to come with Big Ocean, and the possibilities this opens for a new album that may be on the way.