Following a strong run of 2025 releases from deadmau5, BlackGummy, Becking, Screamarts, Skellytn, and Lamorn, mau5trap wastes no time setting the tone for the new year. The influential imprint opens 2026 with the release of We Are Friends Vol. 12, Disk One, arriving today, January 9, and continuing the label’s long-standing mission of championing future-facing electronic music.
Leading the first half of the compilation is “1 of My Kind” from The XTTC, a project that perfectly encapsulates the ethos of We Are Friends. The track follows previously released singles “Supersonic Electronic (on acid)” by Ciauru and a striking reinterpretation of deadmau5’s iconic “Strobe,” reworked by &friends and Moeaike—the sole remix featured on Disk One.
The XTTC is an anonymous, high-concept collaboration between an electronic producer/DJ and a visual artist with deep roots in comics and large-scale concert visuals. Built around the fictional universe of three masked vigilantes—X, Ruby Knives, and Lil C—the project blends driving electro, seductive vocals, and dark, club-ready energy with cinematic storytelling. The characters exist to disrupt power structures, challenge social order, and inject chaos into systems built on conformity.
This is not a virtual band, but a deliberate use of alter egos. In an era where identity is constantly tracked, monetized, and fed into algorithms designed to predict behavior, The XTTC treats anonymity as an act of resistance. The masks don’t erase humanity—they protect it, allowing creativity to exist outside ego, authorship, and visibility culture. The project extends an open invitation to outsiders everywhere: unite, rebel, dance, and destroy.
Elsewhere on We Are Friends Vol. 12, Disk One, Ciauru—hailing from Italy—sets the pace with “Supersonic Electronic (on acid),” a club-focused cut packed with tribal rhythms, warped synths, and relentless momentum. For the compilation’s lone remix, mau5trap enlisted rising talents &friends and Moeaike to tackle “Strobe,” joining a short and prestigious list of official remixers that includes Layton Giordani, Dimension, and Lane 8. The collaboration arrives as &friends continues to build global momentum following standout releases like “Temptation” with Bipolar Sunshine and “Jackie B,” while Italian duo Moeaike, fresh off their 2024 breakout “Mala Fama,” continue their rapid ascent.
The compilation also introduces a broader roster of emerging talent, including Avis Vox, Hreez, ELAC, Me & You, Penultimate, and more—each contributing to the forward-thinking spirit that defines the We Are Friends series.
As deadmau5’s long-running independent label, mau5trap remains firmly focused on the future of electronic music through its releases and live events. Since launching We Are Friends in 2012, the compilation series has served as a proving ground for new talent, helping introduce artists like REZZ (Vol. 4), i_o (Vol. 7), ATTLAS (Vol. 3), BlackGummy (Vol. 4), and No Mana (Vol. 5) to a global audience. With We Are Friends Vol. 12, Disk One, that legacy continues—offering a bold snapshot of where electronic music is headed next.
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