Hernan Cattaneo Details

Born in Buenos Aires, Hernán grew up listening to bands like Simply Red, Level 42, Depeche Mode and New Order whilst carefully studying Billboard magazine, the only source of information that was readily available at the time. In 1987, one of his friends visited Vinylmania in New York and returned with some vinyl – Hernán’s first exposure to Chicago House. In that moment, Frankie Knuckles, who should have a huge influence on Hernán and his blossoming career, broke into the scene and quickly became an icon of the incipient house genre. The way Frankie Knuckles and artists like Inner City and Derrick May brought together the energy of european electronic music with the soul of North American music left an impact on Hernán and set the tracks for his career. His elemental understanding of dance music might be the reason why he could firmly position himself amongst the most respected DJs of the world.

In the middle of the Nineties, Hernán had become the cultural force of the dance music movement that was still in its infancy in his country. As a resident in Clubland Buenos Aires, his talent was quickly recognized and his name soon associated with the most respected figures of dance, such as Paul Oakenfold – turning into one of his closest friends as their relationship evolved-, Sasha, John Digweed and Danny Tenaglia.

Clubland soon grew to be one of the renowned clubs in the world. Hernán’s eclectic deep house, tribal and progressive sets attracted the attention of the superclub Cream who then chose Hernán to become their southamerican resident. His career took off in 1996 and 1997 when both years he won a local award of “DJ of The Year” and, after joining Paul Oakenfold on his European tour, a lot of doors were opening for him. Playing universities and clubs all over Britain and mainland Europe, he managed to stun his receptive audience with his passionate sets and his impeccable mixing techniques. Consequently, he got signed to Oakenfold’s label Perfecto with whom he released his first ever international mix CD South America.

It was again down to Oakenfold that Hernán, in 98 and 99, traveled to the United States and was invited to a row of prestigious events and festivals such as Burning Man, in Nevada and the Red Rocks Amphitheater, in Denver. Immediately after that, he was made resident in Cream Liverpool as well as in Ibiza and started touring all around the globe.