deadmau5 is Joel Thomas Zimmerman, a Canadian electronic music producer from Niagara Falls, Ontario, born in 1981. He works in progressive house, house, electro house, techno, bass house, breakbeat, club, complextro and deep house, and is also associated with electro. He is known for performing with a large mau5head mask.

Career

Zimmerman begins releasing music in 1999 under the name Dred And Karma, with the vinyl single “I Don’t Want No Other”. He then issues a series of early releases, including the debut studio album Get Scraped and three compilation albums, Project 56, deadmau5 Circa 1998–2002 and A Little Oblique. These compilations appear on his SectionZ page.

His second studio album, Vexillology, appears in 2006 and marks the start of his more recognisable deadmau5 sound. In 2007 he founds the label mau5trap, which becomes the home for later releases.

Albums and singles

Random Album Title follows in 2008 and brings his first mainstream success. It includes “Faxing Berlin”, “Not Exactly” and “I Remember”, the last of which is a collaboration with Kaskade. In 2009 he releases For Lack of a Better Name, which moves towards tech house and includes “Ghosts ’n’ Stuff” and “Strobe”.

His 2010 album 4x4=12 expands his sound further, bringing together techno, electro house and a progressive house/dubstep style on “Raise Your Weapon”. In 2011 he releases the non-album singles “Aural Psynapse” and “HR 8938 Cephei”; “Aural Psynapse” is a modern remake of an earlier track made under the alias Halcyon441. He later revisits his earlier style on the album > album title goes here.

Releases and catalogue

His discography includes eight studio albums, eight compilation albums, six mix albums, one soundtrack album, two remix albums, two video albums, seven extended plays, 55 singles and 22 music videos. The At Play series emerges after he leaves Play Records in 2008, when the label retains ownership of some tracks from the period he is signed to it. The series runs as six mix albums released between 2008 and 2015.

Labels and projects

He is connected with several labels and imprints, including Xfer Records, beathau5, Hau5trap, mau5trap, mau5trap Recordings Ltd, mau5trap.tv and Onyx Music. He is also linked with the names freshmau5, Kx5 and REZZMAU5.

Style and reputation

Zimmerman is identified with progressive house, electro house and techno, and is regarded as one of the most respected electronic music producers of modern times.