Review: Postmodern Jukebox's Robyn Adele Anderson On How MC Mong's 'Love Mash' Has The Maroon 5 Sound She's Been Craving [VIDEO]

Yes! I've found it, Korean Maroon 5.

Released on March 1, "Love Mash" by MC Mong, featuring the production duo Chancellor of the Channels, is a glorious combination of Maroon 5's "Misery" and "This Love" with a touch of Rixton's "Me and My Broken Heart."

"Love Mash" immediately hooks you in with a steady eighth note rhythm on the piano and a prominent bassline. The first few measures are minimal, until a catchy drum beat kicks in and then there is no escaping the song's powerful grasp.

MC Mong's latest offering has more rhythm than most K-pop songs put together, but not for the reason you might think. Most dance songs blast a constant stream of thumping sound with no real emphasis on any particular beat. But being a lighter upbeat pop song, "Love Mash" contains a distinct rhythm that is easy to bop your head or tap your foot along to.

If you listen carefully, you can hear the piano emphasizing every first and third quarter note and the drums emphasizing the two and four. This contrast creates a captivating rhythm that makes this South Korean pop song, well, pop.

Another subtle juxtaposition in "Love Mash" that I rather enjoy is the interplay between the rhythm, the instrumental melody and the vocals.

First of all, I love that there is both rapping and singing in this song. Not only does MC Mong give the rap a slight melody (and harmony), but the way in which he adds variation to his vocal inflection and cadence makes his rap all the more musical.

The actual singing, however, is provided by Mikey of Chancellor of the Channels. The tone of Mikey's voice lends nicely to the Western pop feel of this particular song. The perfect blend of warmth, vibrato and falsetto mimics the vocal stylings of Disney princes and boy band frontmen.

While MC Mong and Mikey switch off between the rapping and the singing, the piano in "Love Mash" oscillates between providing a melody and a more defined chord progression. At several points throughout the song, all of these elements overlap seamlessly, making for some great musical moments.

As for the lyrics of "Love Mash," a few things prompted me to look into the translation.

For starters, the fact that the music video featured a variety of ridiculous life-sized props including an artificial hotdog, popcorn maker and washing machine led me to believe that MC Mong may have a quirky sense of humor.

I've noticed that K-pop artists seem to have more freedom to create a more unique image or character for themselves than members of a group. MC Mong has embraced this freedom, in the form of his amusing lyrics and funky wardrobe.

The basic premise of "Love Mash" is that of a typical "I want you back" anthem with some humorous self-deprecation sprinkled in.

MC Mong refers to himself as "smelling like a loser," having messy hair and being bad at using chopsticks. He even pokes fun at the girl he is serenading, saying that if he drinks "a can or two of beer" she'll look prettier and tells her "I don't want you to lose weight, I know you party at clubs."

MC Mong's tongue-in-cheek lyrics and style are similar to those of Psy but thanks to the crushworthy vocals of Mikey, "Love Mash" sounds like an American top 40 hit to me.

It certainly makes my K-pop top 40.

Watch MC Mong's "Love Mash" featuring Chancellor of Channels RIGHT HERE

Robyn Adele Anderson is one of the singers of the genre-bending New York City musical collective Postmodern Jukebox. The group has received over 180 million YouTube views for their innovative jazz, doo-wop and soul reinventions of modern pop hits, including "Gentleman" by Psy.

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mc mong
Robyn Adele Anderson
Chancellor of the Channels
Mikey
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