Album Review: Deadmau5 – 5 Years Of Mau5
3 min read
Social media’s favourite DJ Joel Zimmerman aka Deadmau5 is one of the world’s most respected electronic music producers of the last 10 years. In those years the mouse head wearing producer has created a lot of electronic anthems which have earned him a substantial amount of awards and nominations. To celebrate an astonishing career Deadmau5 has decided to release 5 years of mau5, a two disc compilation featuring definitive tracks from the producers amazing catalogue plus a bunch of new and unique remixes from a long list of mau5trap friendly artists.
Disc one takes care of the originals, 10 career defining tracks including, Ghosts and Stuff, Raise Your Weapon, I Remember, Some Chords plus a whole lot more. Now even though these songs are classics chances are if you’re a deadmau5 fan you have already heard them all before, so the most intriguing part of the album falls to disc two which features mostly all new remixes from fellow producers such as Chuckie, Botnek, Dillon Francis and others.
Almost every track from disc one receives a remix on disc two starting out with Some Chords which is remixed by another social media favourite Dillon Francis. The Los Angeles producer pumps the grungy track with bass steroids giving it a heavier and meatier sound. Dutch house maestro Chuckie also jumps on board with his remix of the classic track Ghosts N Stuff. Similar to the original however; completely different at the same time, Chuckie manages to give the track a more modern sound with his thumping progressive beat and Dutch house influence. Next to lend a hand is Swedish producer Eric Prydz who teams up with Zimmerman to give us a combined edit of The Veldt. The track is what you would expect from Prydz, an uplifting and somewhat mainstream re-work that I’m sure you will hear at upcoming summer festivals.
Whilst Maths does not appear on disc one Deadmau5 has decided to include Botnek’s grimy remix for disc two. The way the track starts off you are expecting to hear that hard hitting Botnek sound when it drops however; whilst its still probably the heaviest remix on the album the duo have actually taken it down a notch believe it or not and surprisingly it works well. It may not be new however; Madeon’s remix of Raise Your Weapon arguably Deadmau5′ biggest track makes its way onto disc two and rightfully so. The French producer gives the track a jubilant makeover, one that has been a crowd favourite at majority of Madeon shows. Whilst there are other remixes from Michael Woods, Pig & Dan and Shiba San none quite compare to the last song of the album, Nero’s epic remix of Ghosts N Stuff. Deadmau5 really has saved the best till last, the duo’s heavy dubstep reshape is definently the highlight of disc two even if its not a new track.
5 Years of Mau5 should be in any Deadmau5 fans collection however; whilst most fans are more keen on hearing some new material on disc two they are always going to go back to the originals which they already own, nonetheless a decent record from one of the biggest names in electronic music.
