Marquis Hawkes is a product of his environment, and his debut LP on Houndstooth is proof: “Social Housing is named as such, because it’s the environment I live in, the first thing I see everyday when I walk out of my front door, and in effect, influences aspects of my life, including music.” The East Berlin resident wastes no time channeling said sentiment to the dancefloor: check the expertly chopped vocals on “I’m So Glad” that float on top of raw, pounding drums. Hawkes takes a deeper, more atmospheric approach to “The Landsberger Funk,” and the funky, filtered vibes of “Fantasy” also stand out. No fillers but the LP abounds in sure-shot floor fillers, as Hawkes covers a lot of ground within the deep house realm, with jacking drums, positive energy, and intimacy at the core of the jams.

• music label: Houndstooth 2016

reviewed by donut savage 07/2016