Without being pro or anti-Communist, this is a leftfield sort of release that very few would ever listen to, or appreciate. Given the current international situation politically, one wonders if peeking over the Demilitarized Zone over the South Korean border is actually worth it. Instead of booking a holiday in South Korea for that alone, or trying one’s luck to go to North Korea with the right approval at hand (believe it or not, it is actually possible), this is a good way to glimpse at the Communist nation from an outsider’s perspective, via music. Bear in mind that China was once treated the same as North Korea (especially during Chairman Mao’s time), an international pariah that only the brave ever dealt with. Therefore, it makes some sense to listen to this album which is available on Spotify and hear if these songs are indeed, valuable. If you feel bold, let’s jump in and explore the music at hand. The said band is a popular girl group in North Korea.

Let’s Study begins as a rather cheesy tune. This is not a very serious sounding song, let’s be frank here. Despite that, the Korean singing is okay and the instrumentation includes a nice violin. Bear in mind that this isn’t going to be the greatest listening experience ever. Given that this is Communist music, it’s really fairly dated sounding and as you’d expect, not really worth it, unless you need a laugh. In any case, this probably is not intended to be taken seriously, unless you live in North Korea. The playing of instruments is good, but otherwise, avoid this. Laughable.

We Will Follow You Only begins with applause and launches into a cheesy, quirky and above all, ordinary song. This is no doubt devoted to the leaders of North Korea and is entirely delivered in the Korean language. It’s very awful, to be frank. With a strange mixture of music and Opera sounding approach, it seems that the North Koreans need to do their own state based music better than this. At least it is not Afghanistan, where all forms of music are banned (at the current time of writing). It sounds like Opera Pop from way back in the 1980s, which is an interesting way of describing these songs. It also shows why North Korea, unlike China, is not seen as a tourist central location, given that this is the only music that they really make. Terrible.

Tansume begins with the clacking of drumsticks, launching into ultra cheesy Pop music. This is ridiculously bad and is only really perfect if you need to play this with a bunch of not-so-serious friends and laugh at the same time. There is some awful guitar work here, and this is North Korean music designed to freak the ordinary person out. Also, this runs for over six minutes, goodness knows why. Super cheesy, in fact so cheesy that shredding a block of cheddar cheese does not match the subpar quality of these songs. Mostly an instrumental, but not a good one, this is rather absurd to hear. There is a weird keyboard solo here near the middle, followed by symphonic sounds and some awful guitar soloing, followed by a violin solo. Thankfully, you don’t have to hear this, and in all respects, you shouldn’t. There is an interesting climax in the midsection with some low-frequency roaring style sounds. Very, very odd. In any case, this is naff music. There is a brief break with the audience cheering, followed by the song starting again, believe it or not. Terrible. At least one can hear how subpar this music is, definitely not worth your time. Just super bad, without the USA actors. It eventually ends after six painful minutes. Awful.

Dash To The Future is the title of the next song. Really. It begins with a weird orchestral section, launching into a song that would only make sense in military parades of North Korea. There is some overdubbed audience clapping over this atrocious music. Dash to the past, more like it. This is, again, terrible music to listen to. One would think that the North Koreans could make better music than this, but obviously not. It sounds awful and weird beyond all means. Good for a listen that is so cheesy and amusing that deep fried cheeseburgers cannot match. Anyone with a good brain should stay away from this, it is awful.

Let’s Go To Mount Pektu begins with drumstick clacking (again) and launches into a symphonic and wasteful tune. The female singing is a bit better here, but despite that, this sounds like some of the worst music you will ever hear. North Korea, apart from being a terribly led nation, does not make decent music either. Avoid this, and you will be happy. A poor attempt at a Burt Bacharach styled tune, it is not a good example of what North Korea should be doing musically. It is also a sad reminder of the way that Communism destroys everything in its wake, including music. There is some overdubbed clapping here as well, which is weird. Do not listen to this music, it will make your guts churn. Even the crowd clapping overdubs do not assist in any way whatsoever. One can only hope that Communism fades away in the future. The key change towards the end is shockingly bad. Just stop this record, and you’ll be fine.

727 March begins with more clapping, military drums and some strange wind instrumentation and strings. This is a little better, but very much like polishing something that doesn’t need to be polished. More symphonic Opera style singing is here, and the music is beyond terrible. Clearly, a very poor excuse for music being made, this is not worth anyone’s time, effort or energy. The military drumming is good, but that is about it. Goodness knows why this was made in the first place. If you want real Korean music, put on BTS and enjoy that instead, although that is not the best music you will ever hear, either. A terrible attempt at a Pop song with obvious political overtones, this is not worth it. Stop this album and drink something heavy instead.

Campfire begins with whistling, a drum roll and launches into a very, very weird song. This is not what one would ever wish to hear, it is irritatingly bad. You will either laugh very hard or flee in disgust upon hearing this music that, quite frankly, is trash. Fortunately, this tune is short. Enough to give one a headache, there is a weird keyboard solo and some chanted vocals here as well. Appalling, do not bother with this rubbish. Sadly, this music exists. Avoid it at all costs. Terrible.

Advancing in Socialism begins with some good (for this album) horn sections and string parts, but sounds so dated, corny and cheesy. Bear in mind that Socialism is another ism, and therefore a political movement that cannot be trusted on its own. Sadly, the propaganda department of North Korea thinks otherwise. Musically, this is more trash, just like before and is a disgrace to hear. There is a horn and violin solo section that isn’t really inspired, along with a key change here. Cringeworthy, do not play this music around those who are straight-laced. In any case, you’d be better off going through the Global Top 50 and listening to most of that instead. This is truly awful. A sad reminder of what terrible acts humanity can do, via music. It ends with crowd clapping, again, which is obviously artificial.

At The Spring Site begins with some really bad 1980s sounding keyboards and quickly goes into more of the weirdest stuff you will ever hear. Difficult to believe that this is actually music. There is some weird Funk style slap bass that really sounds out of place, along with a pseudo drum solo here. Fingernails down a blackboard would sound better and make more musical sense than this. Absolute rubbish, it slows down brief, before finishing with terrible melodies and more artificial clapping. Wonderful, not.

Marching and Marching begins with some marching drums, whistling and sounds like a military song. Some trumpet enters, and this is quickly ruined by keyboards and other Pop wannabe instrumentation. There are no vocals present on this tune, but this is still really bad to listen to. Do not hear this music under any circumstances, unless you want to have a headache afterwards. It launches into an almost Star Wars like section with rolling drums, before launching back into keyboards and other melodies at hand. A little bit better here, but still truly trashy and awful music to hear on any occasion. No thanks, North Korea. More of the same applause ends this song here.

We Are The Malima Riders begins with more cheesy instrumentation that sounds horrible, with loads of drum rolls and a strange set of electric guitar licks. There are harmonies and awful war like melodies being played here. The vocals return for this one, along with some sampled clapping. Really terrible. This is evidence enough that one should hit stop and never think about North Korea ever again. Surely this is Kim Jong Un’s idea of a sick joke musically? Not worth the effort at all. There is a rather terrible guitar solo here, followed by some equally terrible sounds and rolling percussion. This is followed by a set of violin solos as well. Just pure garbage. In any case, you can stay well away from this music and live life without it, with no problems. Junk music, worse than eating rotten leftovers. Canned applause is here, yet again (seriously, why?) at the end of the song.

Let New Year’s Snow Fall is a strange tune that sounds like a child’s lullaby, launching into a bad 1980s sounding song. There are violins aplenty here, which are actually okay. Still, this does not redeem the album at all. It quickly changes course completely and turns into a horrific EDM wannabe tune. That’s right. This is beyond bad, it is some of the worst music you will ever hear in your entire life. There are some awful keyboard solos, but the guitar solo is actually somewhat impressive here. Some slap Funk bass is here, followed by a saxophone solo. Obviously, North Korea is less economy, and more command, if you understand economics. Singing eventually enters in the second half which sounds okay, although this is on an album that proves that North Korean is back in the stone ages. Terrible and putrid. Just not worth it at all. It builds up to a crescendo at the end.

Peoples Joy begins with some melodic string sections that are actually semi-good. This is likely the only place that one could hear such a thing in North Korean music. It then changes completely into a trashy song that has some very dispassionate singing and sounds like everything is forced here. Again, this album has been exactly as it promised, a piece of propaganda from one of the most undemocratic nations on Earth. Bear that in mind if you ever decide to hear this. A piece of trashy junk, and definitely not worth exploring here. It ends after nearly four minutes with yet again, more canned applause.

With Pride ends this terrible album with a bunch of bad instrumentation and sounds, just sounding like projectile vomit set to record. Goodness knows how this even got recorded, or under what intent for the listener, in the first place. Just don’t believe in Communism or any brand of politics for the matter, and life will be okay folks. Beyond cheesy, this is stale old mozzarella here. In any case, you will never need to hear this terrible music. A bad joke, and nothing valuable here. Weird, not wonderful and so bad sounding that you will never want to hear this again. Just no. Turn this off if you haven’t already. It ends with more canned applause.

If you ever meet a Socialist or Communist and you want to prove to them that music and politics do not mix, this is your first point musically. North Korea lives up to its reputation as a country where tyrannical evil leaders reside and the population lives in poverty and unhappiness. This is not something anyone should ever listen to, at all. Period. The music here is so bad that you should keep away from it at all costs. Should you listen to it at all? Only for a quick laugh, but do not take this album seriously. It’s pure propaganda.

No.

1/10