While originally released as a single in 2016, Being As An Ocean have breathed new life into their song “OK” by sharing a music video for it. “OK” makes its home at the sixth track of Being As An Ocean’s fourth album Waiting For Morning To Come, which was independently released by the band in September 2017.
With its artful music video directed by Brume, “OK” brilliantly captures the essence of the Californian post-hardcore band. Most obviously, the emotional intensity of vocalist Joel Quartuccio takes a romantic experience to task; pushing at it with question and frustration, giving a sense of being struck with ‘how did we end up here?’. The hardcore dissection of a toxic relationship plays out in hard hitting verses, where beats thud as solidly as reality has.
Michael McGough’s velvety voice joins the exploration at the chorus, summarising the end; somehow expressing both romanticism and pain. The disintegrated relationship is expressed in multiple ways: Sampled voices and sounds, the vocal dynamic of rawness and defeat, and imagery such as a deserted and broken warehouse, and a burning piece of art.
“I’ve lost track of what is love and which is hate,
but I’m through being your punching bag and your referee in your battleground.
I’m going to help myself.”
If the track itself wasn’t emotionally potent enough, in its reminiscing as well as its hurt, the music video finishes off the job. Alone from the darkness of night through to another sunset, we’re with a woman as she slowly moves through spaces, observing the destruction as much as she’s observing herself. Such is the introspection of a dying/dead relationship, where the self is as much at focus as the connection that was lost. Spinning wind turbines on the horizon stand watch and keep moving. Life goes on.
The close of the track with literal calls to return back to when things were okay comes with heartaching relatability. Beautiful and hard hitting, the impressiveness of “OK” is undeniably amplified by its music video. Watch below.
Image of Being As An Ocean courtesy of Rowan Donohue.
