Do 4 U
About
Mark Hawkins return to Aus Music for steamy house collaboration with label head Will Saul
Vocalist Gilli.jpg also returns as the featured vocalist, while Prince of Hydro re-edits
Lead single 'Do 4 U' ft. gilli.jpg (Marks Urban Decay Mix) drops 31st July
London-born, Berlin-based Mark Hawkins has been recording for Aus Music for over a decade, initially as Marquis Hawkes before reverting to his given name. In 2023, he served up the downtempo and breakbeat album, Venn Diagram, to add to more than 10 other EPs, which have all explored a rough-edged and raw house sound that marries deep Chicago groove with an often indelible vocal.
Saul's output has long been the backbone of his influential label across more than 200 releases in total, and has often found him collaborating with everyone from Komon to Tee Mango, Fink to James Alexander Bright. Completing the trio for this new package is gilli.jpg aka Gillian Alla, who has appeared on Aus Music twice before, once with label mainstay Cinthie on her Skylines - City Lights LP, and also as the voice of Will and Paul Woolford's cover of Yolanda's UR classic 'Your Time Is Up' back in 2020.
The EP opens with the breezy gem Do 4 U ft. gilli.jpg (Haus Mix), riding swinging drums and diffuse chords that glow warm and fuzzy like a late summer sky. Dusty hi-hats and sustained pads bring classic Windy City depth, while gilli.jpg's sensual coos turn up the heat even further. Hawkins then goes it alone on a standout rework, stripping away the balmy pads and flipping the drums into prickly broken beats with a hint of 2-step percussion. A fuller vocal lends gorgeous bittersweet tones, while sultry strings swell with aching melancholy.
The re-edit comes from long-time NTS host Prince of Hydro, who heads up the marine-focused vinyl label Lost Control 2097 and has a distinct take on house that draws from Detroit greats while applying plenty of restrained low-end pressure. His version is blissfully deep and pairs fuzzy chords with New York swing to create the perfect soundtrack for hot, hazy nights.
Will Saul & Mark Hawkins' 'Do 4 U' ft. gilli.jpg' lands on digital on 21st August 2026.