Despite these official offshoots, the original, complete version of "Hit Save"—with its specific vocal arrangement and melodic climax—remained locked away in Zimmerman’s hard drives. Why "Hit Save" Has Never Been Formally Released
A signature, evolving plunk melody that slowly opens up over several minutes.
In an era dominated by short-form, high-energy music, "Hit Save" offers a different experience.
An interactive visual timeline showing the "DNA" of the track. Includes nodes for the original "Hit Save" (16-minute version) , the vocal edits featuring "I See Fire" vocals , and the final released version, deadmau5 hit save
The song's acclaim reached the highest echelons of electronic music. Shortly after its release, the legendary British trio was tapped to create an official remix of "XYZ," which was also included on the compilation. This co-sign from one of the industry's most respected acts cemented "XYZ" not just as a track, but as a statement piece in deadmau5's discography.
: While "Hit Save" remains officially unreleased in its original form, elements of its melody and structure were eventually repurposed for the track "XYZ," which was released in June 2022 on the We Are Friends, Vol. 11 compilation. Legacy and Fan Reception
: A modified version of the progression that Zimmerman officially uploaded to his curated Audius Page . An interactive visual timeline showing the "DNA" of
"Hit Save" remains a powerful testament to the relationship between deadmau5 and his audience. It highlights a unique era of internet culture where fans could watch a masterpiece being built brick-by-brick in real-time, cementing its legacy as the greatest track deadmau5 never released. If you want to dive deeper into the history of this track,
There was no official version of "Hit Save" because in many ways, it was a moving target. The track was a creative muse, a "" that represented a potential masterpiece, more concept than finished product. This ephemeral nature is what made it so legendary. In the world of deadmau5, a track isn't always meant for release; sometimes, it's a sketch, a tonal study, or an idea so perfect that it needs to be saved for the right moment.
You don't have to produce techno to benefit from this mindset. The "Hit Save" logic applies to writers, coders, visual artists, and even corporate professionals. This co-sign from one of the industry's most
: The song is a long-form progressive house track, typically spanning over 9 minutes in various bootleg versions found on YouTube .
He realized: the HiveMind could delete perfection. It could delete patterns, logic, beauty. But it could not delete mistakes . It could not delete the artifact of a human choosing to keep what was broken.
While the search for "Hit Save" was in full swing, deadmau5 surprised everyone with a different, but equally significant, release in August 2016: . It's important not to confuse these two tracks. Where "Hit Save" was an unreleased demo, "Saved" was a finished masterpiece from the We Are Friends Vol. 5 compilation.
A cinematic, emotional chord breakdown that builds into a massive, driving drop.
: The track starts with a minimal, Driving 4x4 kick and a rolling, rhythmic baseline. Minute by minute, Zimmerman meticulously introduces subtle percussive layers, open hi-hats, and atmospheric pads that slowly build tension.
