Argentinean house DJ Hernan Cattaneo played gigs all over the world in 2009, but he singles out shows in unexpected places as the highlights. "My Australian tour was very good this year, especially Melbourne and Brisbane, and the Greek gigs in the summer were a highlight," he says. Despite unrest in the region, he also praises a show in Beirut for "great production and the most enthusiastic dancefloor". Hernan was also a regular fixture at all the major European festivals and says that Holland's Dance Valley, Tomorrowland in Belgium and Creamfields UK "all rocked big time". Hernan also compiled and mixed an installment of 'Renaissance: The Masters Series' mix CD, featuring his own material, as well as music from Skylark, Danny Howells and Guy Gerber. "I don't follow trends, so for me, it's never about what's the current sound," offers Hernan. "Music changes all the time. I like music that is deep, groovy and melodic, not hard or fast. You can find those elements in deep house, tech, prog, any style really. It's not clever to rule out any kind of music since there are good tracks everywhere." Over the coming months, Hernan is releasing a collaboration with Soundexile on his Sudbeat label, followed by an EP from a French producer called Damabiah, who he claims is "making some amazing melodic stuff".