Balming Tiger released their second album 'Gongbu' today, May 19th, bringing an ambitious concept project to life. The album is built around 'Gongbu Korea,' a fictional research laboratory where experimental technology observes and records human dreams and the unconscious mind.

What makes this release distinctive is how the collective has extended their vision beyond just music. The project weaves together sound design, visual identity, music video direction, and live performance into one cohesive world. It's the kind of total creative package that shows Balming Tiger's commitment to storytelling through their psychedelic rock sound.

Graphic designer Kim Do-hyeon created the album artwork, which features circular portraits of the six members—Omega Sapien, sogumm, Mudd the student, bj wnjn, Leesuho, and Unsinkable—reflecting the band's signature experimental aesthetic.

The music video for album track 'Keep On' dropped simultaneously on YouTube, directed by Pennacky, who's been working with Balming Tiger for years. The video draws from Omega Sapien's personal experience, visually depicting how the human unconscious expands and blends endlessly.

'Gongbu' includes 15 tracks: Stretching, Cha Cha Cha, Janjan, Gongbu, Oui, Bird Song, Madengyaeho, Gojingamrae, Home, Keep On, Espero, Recruiting, It's the Night, Memory Train, and an unlisted final track.

To celebrate the release, Balming Tiger is hosting two nights of shows in Seoul on June 6th and 7th at Blue Square Woori Won Banking Hall, billed as 'Gongbu 工夫.' Front-row tickets are already on sale through NOL World.

For fans familiar with Balming Tiger's inventive approach to genre-blending and visual storytelling, 'Gongbu' represents another step into their distinctive creative universe. It's worth checking out if you're into groups that treat albums as full artistic statements rather than just song collections.