5) W:/2016Album – deadmau5
Among the many notable releases that came out this year, deadmau5’s eighth studio album W:/2016Album was among the biggest. Coming two years after the producer’s last full length outing, anticipation for the LP soared when it was announced earlier in the year. Zimmerman kept us busy in the months leading up to its release with a number of previews and leaked tracks on his frequent live streams. So many in fact, that he actually previewed the LP in its entirety in the months leading up to the debut of W:/2016Album.
While the new record features some of the best material in deadmau5’s career, it isn’t without its flaws. Zimmerman was openly critical about the work leading up to its release, and while our rating was much more sympathetic, the record does suffer from a lack of direction, ultimately reducing its effectiveness as a complete work.
All complaints aside though, W:/2016Album ranks a solid effort from deadmau5, with tracks like “Let Go,” “Snowcone,” and “Whelk Then” serving as stand out moments.