Oakenfold made a surprise appearance at the finals at The Disco, spinning a chilled out one-hour set for the crowd.

Fono spun a progressive house set which won more votes from the  crowd, keyed in through SMS, than Daryl B's harder, tougher beats.

Transmit will have an interview with Fono in the coming days, watch this space.

"We are deeply disappointed to postpone this event... but with more artists getting concerned as the days go by, it is virtually impossible to guarantee and publicise the event at this stage," said Tracy Phillips, Zouk's marketing manager.

Artists that were rumoured to be making an appearance at this year's Zoukout were German trance superstar Paul van Dyk and acclaimed live act, Underworld.

Zoukout also caused controversy earlier this year after rival club Centro announced that it would launch its own outdoor festival, the Asian Electronic Music Festival on the same date as Zoukout. However, Centro later decided to re-schedule its event, which will feature Australian progressive house DJ, Dave Seaman, among others.

Some artists have already cancelled appearances in Singapore because of the Sars scare, amongst them Moby and DJ Shadow. More cancellations are on the way at Zouk... the latest list below:
 

Dj Krush - 18 April / Jose Nunez - 25 April / Satoshi Tomiie -26 April

Zouk announced new preventive measures in light of the Sars outbreak.

The club will now:

-screen patrons before they can enter the club.

-those who appear unwell will be taken aside and advised to seek medical attention

-use disposable cups at the bars

-install ozone and UV light purifiers at every air unit handling duct in the club

-increase the frequency and thoroughness of sanitation at the club

The students were from Princeton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Michigan Technological Insitute.

RIAA president, Cary Sherman, said that the networks are a "particularly flagrant way to illegally distribute millions of copyrighted works over the internet."

He added that the RIAA hoped the suits would serve as a "stiff deterrent" to other "network operators"

In a farewell message, Breaksworld founder Jorrit van Hertum AKA Helix, said that Breaksworld had to make way for new projects.

Breaksworld was recognised as the Internet's most comprehensive resource for all things breaks, including in-depth interviews with prime movers and shakers in the scene, exlcusive mixes from the likes of Adam Freeland, and the reviews of the latest breakbeat tunes making the rounds. It will undoubtedly be sorely missed by music fans all over the world.

Some of you may know it as the store next to Excessive Records along Jalan Walter Grenier, behind Lot 10 in KL. Talk to Leong when you're there and tell him we sent ya!

Melbourne techno crew Hardware will be in KL on May 10, The line-up includes the DEA, Jason Midro, Richie Rich and DJ Acid. The promoters also promise a fresh new venue... the party's gonna be at Desa Waterpark in KL (we don't know where it is either, but we're told it's near the old Sg Besi airstrip). Check Scene for full listings and directions soon.

Moby and Terry Francis have cancelled their gigs in Singapore this week because they're afraid of contracting the killer flu bug that's been attacking people all over the world from Hong Kong to Vietnam and Singapore. The wusses!

The folks behind Thursday's techno weekly at Atmosphere in KL have secured a slot on Red1094 for some techno airtime. Futurejazz's DJ Maverick and guest Suresh Nelson (of DJ school Playaz Universe) will play at 10pm on Wednesday night.

Dedicated depressed robots Radiohead will release their new album 'Hail To The Thief' on June 9 on Parlophone. Their first single will be 'There There' to be released on May 26. We speculate that the album is a veiled wink at George Bush, who 'stole' the presidency from the voters and is now embarking on an imperialist adventure in Iraq. Or not.

Singaporean prog DJ, Keishi (of Garagesaleshop) will jump the fence to play at Futurejazz's Techcircuits party at Atmosphere. Also check out their interview with the ever-present Burger. 

The Loft is the upper level of posh dining venue Grappa SoHo in Bukit Bintang. It was used for Klue's Urbanscapes party last year. It looks set to be a major new venue in KL as Loops Collective have booked a series of different theme nights as well.

Drum n bass night Motion headlines Saturday nights, Jam Session, where bedroom jocks get a chance behind the decks, is on Thursday, while Wednesdays has Booty Call, a RnB and hip-hop night featuring DJ Nesh and others from Bionic DJ Academy.

Check listings for flyers soon.

Something to check out... Improvisation Jam is a dance party with a difference... "explore movements, improvise and rediscover spaces" with professional dancers (the artsy kind you know) like Guna, Lee Swee Keong and Michael Xavier Voon with live percussion and techno from Mohd Kamrul Hussin and gang and Goh Lee Kwang. It's on at Actor's Studio Box at Dataran Merdeka on 8 March. Costs RM25/RM25 (students with ID)

Malaysian promoters/record label FutureJazz.FM will launch a weekly techno party at Atmosphere in KL called Techcircuits on Thursday, March 20. DJs will include FSKL (previously featured in our Audio section) and Maverick, known for his technical mastery of the decks. Check back at the Scene page for full details or check out the forum.

Singapore dance culture institution, Zouk, has brought in UK techno DJ, Carl Cox's radio show, Carl Cox Global, to the island-state (and some listeners in Johor). The two-hour show first aired on 28 Feb on 91.3FM. Singapore is reportedly the only South East Asian country to have the show, which has an audience of 40 million listeners.

Vote for DJ Shadow to make an appearance at the next Heineken Green Room Sessions in Singapore! The beer giants are taking votes for cut-up king DJ Shadow, downtempo doyennes Air and Morcheeba to play at the next Session on April 9. You have to sign up as a member before you can vote.

Anyway, Breakspoll results are out, here are some of the winners for the Most Prestigious Prize in Breakbeat!

Face of Breaks 03: Krafty Kuts, followed by Adam Freeland and the Plumps.

Most Valuable Person: Rennie Pilgrem, Adam Freeland, Krafty Kuts

Best DJ: Adam Freeland, FreQ Nasty, Krafty Kuts

Best Producer: Hybrid, Ils, Tipper

Single of the Year: Ils - Next Level, Forme - Kick a Hole, Stabilizer - Nitzer

Best Album: DJ Hyper - Bedrock Breaks, FreQ Nasty - Y4K, Botchit Breaks 5, Ils - Soul Trader, James Lavelle's GU: Barcelona [ed: how are mixed compilations considered albums?! Ils should have won hands down!]

Best Label: Fingerlickin', TCR, Plastic Raygun

Swedish jazz-fusion outfit Koop's last album, Waltz for Koop, (signed to JCR) have won the Swedish Grammy Award for Best Club/Dance Album in 2002 plus the Manifest Award, Sweden's alternative to the Grammy's. They are now touring the US with vocalist Yukimi Nagano.

burn_ibiza will be making music with a 'flashlight pendulum photo-theremin' alongside fellow sonic experimentators zai-de at Five Arts Centre, 27, Jln Dato Sulaiman7, TTDI, KL at 730pm.

"expect an evening of improvised sound art and non-conventional forms of musical expression" In other words, click here.

House superstars Dirty Vegas won for 'Best Dance Recording' while the S-Man, Roger Sanchez, beat out Chris Lum and Jay-J for "Best Remixed Recording (non-classical) for his work on No Doubt's 'Hella Good'.

Jimmy Sturr managed to clinch the coveted 'Best Polka Album' award, triggering waves of 'Polkamania' all over the world.

The US Dancestar awards will take place at an outdoor ceremony on March 19 in South Beach, Miami. And the nominees are...

Best Act (US) - DJ Shadow/The Crystal Method/Fischerspooner/ Moby/Thivery Corporation

Best Album - Chemical Brothers:Come With Us/Dirty Vegas: Dirty Vegas/DJ Sammy:Heaven (wtf?)/Moby:18/Oakenfold:Bunkka(wtf!)

And for the coveted Best DJ category... Josh Wink, Danny Tenaglia, Mark Farina, Felix da Housecat, DJ Skribble, Christopher Lawrence, Sandra Collins and more are competing for the US title. Last year's winner was West Coast trance legend Chris Lawrence.

For the Best International DJ category... DJ Hell, Oakie, Ferry Corsten, PvD, Tiesto, Sasha, Hawtin, Digweed, Tong and Timo Maas are all there. The usual suspects except for the bemulletted DJ Hell. No doubt he'll be there with his International Deejay Gigolos.