mau5trap Opens Submissions for 13th "We Are Friends" Compilation

A Human-Curated Alternative to Algorithm Culture

Since 2012, We Are Friends has operated as mau5trap's answer to algorithmic discovery. Each volume functions as a curated snapshot of the label's roster, capturing emerging talent before they break through. REZZ appeared on Volume 4, i_o on Volume 7, and earlier editions featured ATTLAS (Volume 3), BlackGummy (Volume 4), and No Mana (Volume 5). Volume 6 spotlighted Rinzen, who recently remixed deadmau5's "Not Exactly" and earned support from Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, and Above & Beyond.

Taste Over Data

"At mau5trap, music is taste, instinct, timing, culture and soul," says Jimi Frew, who handles A&R and creative strategy for the label. "WAF has always been about that kind of listening. We ask, 'Does this track something unique, and does it belong in the mau5trap catalog?'"

The approach stands in contrast to the recommendation engines that dominate electronic music discovery in 2026. While mau5trap acknowledges the utility of algorithmic data, the label positions human curation as central to its identity.

The Pitch for Volume 13

The label's open call is characteristically blunt. The Volume 13 demo submission page acknowledges that labels have earned a reputation for submissions disappearing into silence, then sets expectations: "mau5trap is a small, passionate team. we're human. and we take this seriously. we receive a huge number of submissions, and we listen to every single one. that takes time, care, and real effort, so we approach it with respect. with that in mind: please only submit music you're truly proud of. no works-in-progress. no half-finished ideas. just your BEST & FINAL version… ready for release."

Volume 13 submissions are open now via mau5trap's website. The compilation series launched in 2012 and has released 12 volumes to date.