AS THE NORTHERN hemisphere heads into winter, a handful of the world's top DJs are migrating south for the hottest beach party this side of the equator. In case you hadn't heard, the outdoor dance-fest that's fast becoming an annual stop on the global party calendar is Singapore's ZoukOut.
Think non-stop fun in the sand and sun a la Thailand's Koh Pha Ngan, Miami's South Beach, or Ibiza-style. Well, sort of. 'I think ZoukOut is uniquely Singaporean,' says Aldrin, resident DJ at Zouk, the renowned club behind the festival, to be held this year on Tanjong Beach on Sentosa Island on December 4. 'For starters, there's hardly any drug abuse here so the atmosphere is very different.'
Paradoxically, the authoritarian state of Singapore - where drug possession can result in the death penalty - has become Southeast Asia's top dance music hot spot. Since mid-2003, when bar-top dancing was declared legal and entertainment outlets were granted 24-hour licences, Singapore has been crowned a party town. And ZoukOut's massive, dusk-to-dawn revelry - all legal and drug-free - confirms that status.
'This year, we're hoping to draw 15,000 people,' Aldrin says. An impressive list of top global DJs has been recruited to attract the crowds to Tanjong Beach. For the main arena, a quadruple treat of Paul Van Dyk, Timo Maas, Seb Fontaine and Satoshi Tomiie will ensure all-night dancing with progressive house and trance sets. For the cosier Velvet Underground arena, sexy house grooves will be on offer, featuring a live PA performance by Lisa Shaw of Naked Music fame, Miguel Migs, Joe Claussell and others. Jazzy Jeff will spin in the Mambo Jambo/hip-hop arena with Zouk's resident DJs.
'All the names have mass appeal, but Paul Van Dyk is probably the biggest pull this year,' says Aldrin. Since ZoukOut was launched in 2000, the event has grown steadily. The success of the inaugural event, where 12,000 party-goers danced all night on Siloso Beach in Sentosa, was overshadowed by a drowning death. This did not, however, affect 2001's 141/2-hour shindig on Tanjong Beach. And the next year - renamed ZoukOut Singapore Nokia Remix 2003 after corporate sponsorship caught the wave - 18,800 turned up to the two-day event on the Marina Waterfront.
'We're back on the beach this year because even though many people said it was amazing and, well, trippy to party with the skyline in the background, most party-goers really prefer to have that getaway feel of dancing on the beach,' says Tracy Phillips, Zouk's marketing manager.
While last year's two-day bash - headlined by British superstar spinner Sasha - cost S$1.5 million ($7 million) to stage, the upcoming one-day event will still cost S$1.2 million. DJ billings and production costs take up most of that budget, and a team of more than 200 staff will ensure the good times keep rolling.
'You can't compare ZoukOut to anything else,' Phillips says. 'Koh Pha Ngan parties don't have the big-name international DJs or the very sophisticated level of acts and production. And Ibiza parties are outdoors, but aren't on the beach as such.'
To add to the festive mood, there'll be an array of entertainment options, including costumed buskers, dancers, carnival rides, food stalls, flea markets, live graffiti, mandala art, massage and holistic tents. Endorsed by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), ZoukOut's only rules are no swimming, no video cameras and no food or drink outside.
While there are other clubbing hot spots around Asia, none has shone - and lasted - like Zouk. Meaning 'village party' in French-Caribbean patois, Zouk opened in 1991 as one of the first venues in Singapore to champion house music. Comprising four areas, the Jiak Kim Street club and bar is one of the few pioneering establishments still alive and kicking today.
Declared a Most Distinctive Brand in 2003 at the Singapore Promising Brand Awards and a four-time winner of the STB's Nightspot of the Year, Zouk is a staple for Asia's youths. 'Zouk is one of the top 10 clubs in the world,' says the music director of Hong Kong's Kee Club, DJ Vincent Quek, a Singaporean who relocated to Hong Kong four years ago. 'Every single big-name DJ has played there, and internationally, most serious clubbers have been there or heard of it.'
Quek adds that compared to other cities in Southeast Asia, Zouk's owners stuck to their musical beliefs - meaning they didn't push commercial music to turn a profit. Aldrin is one of the few who has attained any level of international acclaim. In internet chat land, he has even been hailed as Singapore's cultural ambassador.
'I think Zouk played a crucial role during the 1990s in educating the locals on the idea of alternative lifestyle,' he says. 'Many DJs who have played at the club are amazed at the response from the crowds, knowing they are only high on the music and alcohol.'
ZoukOut, Dec 4, 7pm-7am, Tanjong Beach, Sentosa Island, Singapore. Packages including entry ticket, return airfares and two nights' hotel accommodation start at $1,338, ValuAir, tel: 2269 0011. For details go to www.zoukout.com