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Hernan Cattaneo - The Likes Of Hernan

Author: 3D
Monday, May 4, 2009

With his third Renaissance Masters compilation about to hit, producer/DJ Hernan Cattaneo heads to Australia for The Likes Of You.

From your humble roots in Argentina listening to bands like New Order, did you ever imagine you’d be flying around the world to DJ-

Not really. It all started around sharing the music with friends. The whole dance music scene wasn’t there, and also there was no internet or any sources of information, so there was no way for me to think about it. I was DJing in clubs in Buenos Aires, and then when Martin Gontad started bringing international DJs to play, I realised there was a whole world around the DJs, and the club industry worldwide. Then I did my first travels to Europe and America and it was like discovering the future. In 2001 I moved to London and since then, I’ve been living in Europe and playing around the world.

Can you give us an insight into the dance music scene in Argentina, as it seems like one that slips under the radar most of the time-

It really started mid-’90s and got very big by the beginning of this decade. Every global DJ came to play and that helped a lot to spread the word. Now the scene is really good and popular, and festivals like Creamfields are bigger in Buenos Aires than in Liverpool, attracting 60,000 people.

You’re renowned for your excellent mix compilations that have been released by the likes of Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto Records and Renaissance – are there future plans to do another Hernan Cattaneo mix compilation-

I just finished a new Renaissance Masters Series CD (my third one), the label’s 50th release, which will be out worldwide on 25 May.

Each mix so far has seemed to have an acute understanding of not only mixing, but also track selection, pacing and build-ups. With these mixes, how long and how hard are you labouring over them-

I think it’s a reflection of my DJing, or at least I try hard to be as close as possible. The most difficult part is the track selection, since I’ve always got too many good tracks I want to use and you can only fit in two 78-minute sets. Then the mix is great fun, and trying to put together different kinds of sounds has always interested me way more than just sticking to one style. For my new Masters Series compilation I also spent time producing and remixing tracks to make it more exclusive and also asked some of my favourite producers to write tracks specifically for the CD. So I’m really happy to say that almost all tracks will be unheard by the time of the release – something that is really difficult to achieve this days.

WHO: Hernan Cattaneo
WHAT: Plays The Likes of You at the Metro Theatre / Renaissance: The Masters Series through Renaissance/Stomp
WHEN: Saturday 16 May / Saturday 30 May
MORE: futureentertainment.com.au

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