By Robert Andrews BBC News Online

Kosheen bagged Best Live Act and Best Single gongs before playing a storming homecoming set at the annual Welsh Music Awards in Cardiff.

Vocalist Si�n Evans noted a "spark" was in Wales' maturing music scene, after her four years in exile on Bristol's breakbeat circuit, and spoke of her desperation to play concerts in her homeland.

She said the awards on home turf meant more than the clutch picked up around the world since debut album Resist crashed into the charts in 2002.

Keltech jointly won Best Hip Hop award

"Thanks for my upbringing in Wales, so steeped in music," she told the crowd, picking up the first award.

The WMAs' second and final night also saw DJs High Contrast and Raeph Powell pick up honours in the drum 'n bass and alternative categories.

The celebration was the latest move in the cooperative effort to build a credible and sustainable music industry on solid foundations, after the passing of the "Cool Cymru" fad.

There is a buzz and a growing confidence in the capital that a new network of artists, labels and agencies - like organisers Music Academy Wales - can pull it off.

Best Live Act	Best Single	Best Producer
Kosheen	Kosheen (Hungry)	Keltech

Best Venue (500+)	Best Venue (<500)	Best Trance Night
Escape (Swansea)	Clwb Ifor Bach (Cardiff)	Time Flies @ Emporium (Cardiff)

Like Tom Jones before her, Evans of Abertridwr, Caerphilly - whose shockwave voice has shaken up drum 'n bass with its injection of proper melody and acoustic energy - had to leave to find her way.

Granddaughter to a composer and conductor, in the 90s she had lived with her young son in a teepee at a Carmarthenshire rural commune, Tipi Valley, before taking her music talent to Bristol - hipper home of Roni Size, Portishead and Massive Attack.

Cardiff soul diva Dionne performed

There, Evans hooked up with Markee Substance and Darren Decoder - two drum 'n bass producers disillusioned enough with the genre's darker tendencies to use her vocal warmth.

Through singles Hide U and Catch, three-piece Kosheen has now garnered a Top 10 album and is billed "dance music's newest global success story", with more praise likely to follow.

"Kosheen hasn't done a big gig in Wales yet and I'm gutted about it - I know the Welsh are very proud of their own and I feel very loyal to my heritage," she told BBC News Online.

"We aren't a 'Bristol band' - Decoder and Substance are Bristol-based producers and I am a Welsh woman writing the songs.

"There's a real energy in Bristol to succeed and push because the standard is set so high. Cardiff needs that drive.

"But I think people are recognising now that there is a definite spark here - I've known that for years but there just has not been an outlet for it.

Footballer Nathan Blake presented an award

"These awards mean more to me than getting a Dancestar award in Miami and London, to be honest."

The WMAs were handed out at the Coal Exchange, where the world's first �1m cheque was made out.

But, with the event's grassroots developmental ethos, most nominees' ambitions are not so grand.

Plastic Raygun, named Best Label after recently putting out its thirtieth underground release, thanked its big-name financial backers, but complained of lack of indigenous Welsh investment.

It was food for thought for Welsh Assembly member Lorraine Barrett, who collected the award for Best Drum 'n Bass DJ in the absence of son and rising turntable star High Contrast (aka Lincoln Barrett), currently in San Francisco.

"I'm delighted to be here on behalf of all drum 'n bass mothers," she said.

"I know all the lingo. His dad and I are so proud, we no longer ask him to turn the music down."

Best Urban Night	Best US House & Garage Night
Funkin Marvellous @ Emporium (Cardiff)	Lamerica @ Emporium (Cardiff)

Best Drum 'n Bass Night	Best Hip Hop Night
Bulletproof @ Emporium (Cardiff)	Higher Learning @ Toucan Club (Cardiff)

Best R 'n B Night	Best Alternative Night
Sugar & Spice	Toucan Club (Cardiff)

Best Pre-Club	Best Flyer
Slug & Lettuce ft Funkydory (Cardiff)	Pure Essence for Return @ The Palace (Swansea)

Best Urban DJ	Best US House & Garage DJ
V2 Crew	Bern & CN Williams and Dave Jones & Craig Bartlett (tie)

Best Hard Dance DJ	Best Techno/Tech House/Progressive DJ
Cally & Juice	Big Al

Best Trance DJ	Best Drum 'n Bass DJ	Best Alternative DJ
Danny Slade	High Contrast	Raeph Powell

Best Hip Hop Act	Best Label	Best Special Event
Johnny B & Keltech	Plastic Raygun	Escape In The Park (Swansea)