Around 2015 and 2016, during the creative sessions that would ultimately yield his eighth studio album, W:/2016ALBUM/ , viewers witnessed the birth of a untitled progressive house track. As Zimmerman meticulously tweaked oscillators, layered pads, and arranged MIDI notes on Cubase, fans watched a masterpiece come together in real-time. Because Zimmerman frequently reminded himself out loud—or was reminded by chat—to backup his progress during frequent software crashes, the community affectionately dubbed the 16-minute epic "Hit Save." Anatomy of the Track: A Progressive House Masterclass

: Fans first heard the track on deadmau5's livestreams. A popular 16-minute version exists as a "stream rip," capturing Joel's extended work on the track.

Find for the best-quality fan uploads Which part of the Hit Save history interests you most? Share public link

Simple, subby, and sidechained to oblivion.

From a cryptic ID to a 10-minute progressive masterpiece refined by one of the world's most respected producers, the story of "Hit Save" is ultimately a story about patience—and the belief that some of the best music is worth waiting for.

What sets apart from typical dance records is its patient, long-form approach to progressive electronic music. Fans often compare its cosmic, dark, and melancholic atmosphere to other legendary deadmau5 marathons like "HR 8938 Cephei" or his magnum opus "Strobe" . Characteristics Pacing

To understand "Hit Save," one must understand the unique relationship deadmau5 has with his audience. Long before it became industry standard, Zimmerman was livestreaming his entire music production process on platforms like Twitch and his own defunct live site.

It began, as most catastrophes do in the hyper-connected 22nd century, with a single, lazy Sunday afternoon.

However, the DNA of "Hit Save" was too good to waste. In 2020, deadmau5 officially released a massive collaborative single featuring vocals from Lights.

"Hit Save" is an infamous unreleased track by deadmau5, with a complex history involving multiple iterations like "Resaved," "Unlucky," and eventually leading to the released track

: An alternate, slightly shorter arrangement where Zimmerman attempted to structure the loop elements into a more traditional, finished arrangement.

The original stream-ripped masterpiece loved for its "cosmically eerie" loop.

Few tracks in deadmau5's vast catalog have garnered such persistent, devoted fan anticipation as one simply known as "Hit Save." For years, the ID existed as a rumored demo, an enigmatic snippet, a holy grail for collectors. This article traces the full story of "Hit Save"—from its mysterious origin and eventual transformation into the official track "XYZ" to its place in the larger context of deadmau5's career and the legendary We Are Friends compilation series.

When deadmau5 played a 16-minute render of the track on a livestream—complete with the Lights vocal—the internet erupted. Fans ripped the audio from the stream, uploading it to YouTube and SoundCloud. For years, these low-quality rips served as the only way fans could experience what many considered to be one of Zimmerman's finest works. The Mutation: From "Hit Save" to "Bridged By A Lightwave"

Zimmerman is notoriously self-critical of his work. Tracks that fans consider masterpieces are sometimes viewed by him as incomplete, repetitive, or structurally flawed.

The track first surfaced around as a "work in progress" during Zimmerman's live production streams on platforms like Twitch. It quickly gained legendary status within "The Horde" (his fanbase) due to its length, complexity, and emotive progressive house style—characteristics often compared to his 2009 masterpiece, " Strobe ". Key Features of "Hit Save"

“Hit Save” is about . The track evolves over 8+ minutes.