Balming Tiger have stopped working from home. Instead, their office schedule demands that everyone in the group of 11 report at their studio in Seoul by 10am. Rather than rigid disciplinary action, the new framework is a result of the music collective learning how pertinent it is to see one another in the process of creating music. This is but one of the many things they gained from going on not one, but two, far-flung songwriting retreats in the middle of the mountains with no one licensed to drive.
One other thing they’ve gained from their time together on the retreats? Their first full-length album. At the time of writing, the Seoul-based collective—comprising performers Omega Sapien, Sogumm, Bj Wnjn and Mudd the Student; producers San Yawn and Unsinkable; video directors Jan’ Qui and Leesuho; visual artist Chanhee Hong; DJ Abyss; and writer Henson Hwang—have already released four songs from January Never Dies, and are on the precipice of releasing the rest of the 14-track effort.
Taken in full, the album refuses to be defined by any one genre. According to Balming Tiger, that is precisely the point. The first track to be released was the explosive ‘Sexy Nukim’ in 2022 featuring the deep, sensual vocals of BTS’s RM. The next three pre-releases—‘Trust Yourself’, ‘SOS’ and ‘Kamehameha’—are a prime showcase of the group’s colourful soundscape.
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Vogue Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Vogue Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A LIFE'S WORK
There are some paths in life that are a calling and palliative care feels like one of them. With great tenderness, three hospice nurses open up on what it means to offer care—in its many forms—at the end of life.
Genetic Make-Up
Digital filters, but with real-life consequences. Vogue Singapore considers the implications behind a new generation of parents choosing to edit pictures of their children.
Mythic ROMANCE
Dior's Cruise 2025 collection transports us to the enchanting landscapes of Scotland, blending romantic narratives with modern allure.
AN ASYLUM
Co-founders Jaren Neo and Becky Ng speak to Vogue Singapore on the driving force behind their label, its in-house residency programme and their hopes for a more supportive creative ecosystem.
Metropolis of IMAGINATION
Moncler debuts The City of Genius in Shanghai, a bold celebration of creativity featuring an eclectic line-up of visionary co-creators.
STANDING Tall
The Louis Vuitton Cruise 2025 collection was an exploration of postmodern architecture and the future through sharp tailoring, romantic draping and ornamental detailing.
WATERWORKS
In an era of power showers, cold plunges and #Shower Tok, there's still merit to be found in slowing down for the age-old ritual of bathing.
First CLASS
Education is the most powerful weapon, a noble pursuit that these three watches and jewellery brands have embarked on with different approaches.
A New FRONTIER
The nearly two-century-old watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre has crafted its first olfactive identity courtesy of perfumer Nicolas Bonneville.
House PROUD
Two symbolic homes come together in Louis Vuitton's latest haute horlogerie creation: a pocket watch that honours its historic trunk manufacture in Asnières and its cutting-edge watchmaking facility in Geneva.