Da Mouth has "short-lived concept group" written all over them, but I'll listen for as long as they last. Out of the many newcomers the Taiwan music scene coughed up last year, four-member group Da Mouth is certainly the most interesting, and their self-titled debut album is very much worth a listen.

Da Mouth's fun and funky club hip-hop brings something different to mainstream Mando-pop, as does their unique member composition. The group is formed by many hyphens: Taiwanese-Japanese DJ Chung Hua, Canadian-Taiwanese MC 40, Korean-Taiwanese-American male vocalist Harry, and Japanese female vocalist Aisa. Yes, that Aisa. A former member of the short-lived pop group Sunday Girls, Aisa is a familiar B-list celebrity, part of a small circle of brassy female Japanese talents who make the rounds on Taiwan's variety programs. Who would have thought Aisa would get to sing again? And since when did pop groups have DJs? Releasing an album for Da Mouth definitely seems like a leap of faith, but the concept works, and so does the the album.

Taiwanese hip-hop comes in various pop breeds. We have MC Hotdog's taike rhymes, Machi's American taike rhymes, Will Pan's pop-filtered raps, Leehom Wang's "chinked out" fusions, Jay Chou's mumbling - and Da Mouth brings a new party sound to the scene. This album is all about the club track, and the group deftly delivers frivolous lyrics, catchy beats, and dance melodies mixed with throbbing beats and electronica that borrow from Japanese street music. The club arrangements really help Da Mouth's music to stand out amongst typical Taiwanese fare (good thing they've got that DJ).

Da Mouth popped up out of nowhere last year with their insanely catchy first plug "In the End" (Track 5). Upbeat, bouncy, repetitive, and nicely arranged, this is the kind of song that you only need to hear once to remember for a very long time. Kudos go to composer/producer Daniel Bi (credited as K.Y.B) and the great arrangement by Showan (credited as Andrew Chen). The catchy lyrics are courtesy of members MC 40 (credited with his real name Simon) and Harry, who took care of the lyrics for the whole album. They offer profound gems like this: "Friends turn to boyfriends/Boyfriends are the more the better". Clearly, this album has its priorities in place. Fun first, think later.

Other great party tracks on deck include the tongue-twisting "Come Closer" (Track 2), which mixes in some funky brass with electronic beats, and the silky 119 (Track 11) which tones down for a softer and sexier sound. The group's self-titled Da Mouth (Track 10) goes slow and smooth, before hitting a jumping chorus. Step On The Beat (Track 6), meanwhile, starts out sounding vaguely Jay Chou with its concept arrangement and R&B rhythm, but the refrain brings it back to head-bopping Da Mouth territory. MC 40's rapping here is particularly noteworthy, more pronounced than in other tracks, with a talky old-school feel. Aisa, however, is really not suited for rapping, though she does a good job on the voice-stretching bridge. Out of the fast tracks, the only one that misses the mark is Get You Back (Track 3), which is too busy and Gwen Stefani for my taste.

Since this is Mando-pop we're talking about, Da Mouth does dig into the ballad with mixed results. The mid-tempo hip-hop ballad "I'm Willing" (Track 7) is the best of the slower numbers, with both MC 40's rapping and Harry's singing carrying the song well. The soft vocals over fast beats and scratching interlude keep the song consistent with the album's overall sound without making it inappropriately loud. "I Just Like You" (Track 8) is all bubble gum pop in its chorus and vocal portions, balanced with some reggae-flow rapping verses. More of the latter and less of the former would make the track stronger, but the song is successful overall as a Will Pan-type plug.

Prototype ballad "Irreplaceable" (Track 12), essentially an Aisa and Harry duet, is very forgettable, but fine while listening; it reminds me of one of those random idol drama insert songs sung by no-name singers. Closing ballad Huai Qiu (Track 13), which happens to be Harry's Chinese name, aims for a little more, starting out with an easy rhythm and showcasing Harry's falsetto. Aisa's portion comes off weak in comparison, however, and the refrain is predictable, sounding too much like a song I've already heard before. Although that's probably what plays well at the karaoke.

Though the beats and melodies aren't always very original, overall Da Mouth's style does bring something new to Taiwan music. And the album is really fun to listen to. Much of the credit goes to producing/songwriting trio Adia, Showan, and Daniel Bi, three of the best names the Taiwan music industry has to offer. (As a side note, I highly recommend Adia's and Showan's solo albums.) Other than maybe Harry, who looks vaguely like he walked out of a Korean drama, the members of Da Mouth are short bets for solo careers, but they add up well as a group. Even Aisa's accented Mandarin brings a charm of its own to their music. Now let's hope Da Mouth can parlay the buzz into a second album.