Mark Wilkinson (born 18 April 1989), better known by his surname Wilkinson, is an English record producer, DJ and remixer from Hammersmith, England. He has released music on RAM Records and Hospital Records, as well as Virgin EMI. His 2013 single "Afterglow" with vocals by Becky Hill reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart on 20 October 2013.
Music career 2010–2016: RAM Records and Lazers Not Included
On 13 December 2010, Wilkinson released his debut single "Moonwalker / Samurai" through RAM Records. The tracks were first premiered through Andy C's drum and bass compilation album Nightlife 5. On 12 June 2011, he released the single "Every Time / Overdose", which became the 99th single release of RAM Records. "Every Time" features vocals from Marcus Gregg and it became Wilkinson's first song to spawn a music video. On 4 December 2011, he released "Tonight / Pistol Whip". "Tonight" was later re-released in 2013 as the iTunes Single of the Week to promote the release of his debut studio album Lazers Not Included. On 19 August 2012, he released the single "Automatic / Hands Up!". Although it received mixed feedback and significantly less airplay, "Automatic" still managed to gain support from the likes of Annie Mac and MistaJam.
On 2 December 2012, he released "Need to Know / Direction" featuring Iman as the lead single from his debut studio album. On 3 April 2013, he released "Take You Higher / Crunch" as the next single from the album. On 26 July 2013, he released "Heartbeat" featuring P Money and Arlissa as the third single from his debut studio album. On 13 October 2013, he released "Afterglow" as the fourth single from his debut studio album. The song peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, making it his first top 10 single in the UK. On 28 October 2013, he released his debut studio album Lazers Not Included. The album peaked at number 46 on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the UK Dance Chart. On 9 February 2014, he released "Too Close" featuring Detour City as the album's fifth single, which peaked at number 55 in the UK. The album's sixth single "Half Light" (featuring Tom Cane) charted at number 25 in the UK, making it Wilkinson's second top 40 single. It was released on 1 June 2014.
Since the release of Lazers Not Included, Wilkinson has worked on music with Katy B, Wretch 32, Angel Haze and Knytro. On 14 July 2014, a new single entitled "Dirty Love" premiered on MistaJam's BBC Radio 1Xtra show. The song features vocals from Talay Riley, and was released on 12 October 2014. The song later featured on the "extended edition" of Lazers Not Included, which was released on 20 October 2014. This new edition of his debut album, originally titled Lazers Not Included 2.0, was to be released on 18 August 2014 and was to feature six previously unheard songs. However, these plans were scrapped and the extended edition instead featured numerous remixes of and by Wilkinson alongside the new single.
On 2 October 2014, he embarked on his Lazers Not Included tour with support from Etherwood, I See Monstas and Toyboy & Robin on selected dates. The tour began in Bournemouth and finished in Cambridge. A new song with Shannon Saunders (with whom he is in a relationship), entitled "Breathe", premiered in Bournemouth. His next single, a collaboration with TC entitled "Hit the Floor", was released exclusively to Beatport on 12 January 2015 and elsewhere on 26 January. The song was pressed to a number of limited edition picture discs for Record Store Day 2015. On 6 March 2015, his next single entitled "Hopelessly Coping" (featuring Thabo) premiered on Annie Mac's Radio 1 show. It was released on 17 May 2015 alongside remixes from Gorgon City, René LaVice, Preditah and Hanami. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 49. On 24 August 2015, "Breathe" was released as a free download, accompanied by a music video. The song is also available on digital retailers.
2016–2018: Hypnotic "Flatline", the lead single from Wilkinson's forthcoming second studio album, Hypnotic, features vocals from Wretch 32 and was released on 12 March 2016. This was followed by "What", featuring uncredited vocals from MC Ad-Apt and "Sweet Lies", featuring vocals from Karen Harding. Hypnotic was released on 21 April 2017. He released the song "Rush" with Dimension in November 2017.
In 2018, Wilkinson released the singles "Take It Up" (with Sub Focus), "Decompression" and "I Need" (featuring Hayla). 2019 saw the release of the UKF10 sampler which contained Wilkinson's song "Machina".
2019–2021: Portals and Sleepless Music In September 2019, Wilkinson and Sub Focus released "Illuminate" as a first single for their album Portals, released on 9 October 2020. Their second single, "Just Hold On", came out in April 2020. In July 2020, it was announced that Wilkinson is scheduled to perform at the 2021 SW4 (South West Four Weekender) festival. Later singles to follow were "Air I Breathe", "Turn the Lights Off" and "Freedom" featuring Empara Mi.
On 18 February 2021, Wilkinson announced the launch of his new record label, Sleepless Music (a copy of a pre-existing label, Sleepless Records of Liverpool). The label would go on to release future Wilkinson music and include releases from the likes of S.P.Y, Fred V, Krakota and many more.
2022–present: Cognition After releasing the singles "Frontline", "If You Want It", "Keep Dancing" (featuring Amber Van Day) and "Used to This" (featuring Issey Cross, No. 14 on the UK Dance Singles Chart) in 2021, Wilkinson announced his fourth studio album Cognition, released in February 2022.
In 2022, the singles "Close Your Eyes" (featuring Iiola) and "Here for You" (with Becky Hill) were released.
The artwork for Cognition was a collaborative effort with Folkestone-based collage artist Charlie Elms, also known as 10 Years Time.
Personal life Wilkinson married long-term partner Shannon Saunders in August 2024.
Discography
Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications UKPeak positions in the United kingdom: For all except noted: For "Need to Know / Direction": For "Heartbeat": UK Dance NZ Lazers Not Included Released: 28 October 2013 Label: RAM Format: CD, digital download 46 2 — BPI: Silver Hypnotic Released: 21 April 2017 Label: RAM Format: CD, digital download 41 1 — Portals(with Sub Focus) Released: 9 October 2020 Label: Virgin EMI Format: CD, digital download 68 1 26 Cognition Released: 11 February 2022 Label: Sleepless Format: CD, digital download 78 1 3 Infinity Released: 27 March 2026 Label: Sleepless Format: CD, digital download — 2 31
Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK UKDancePeak positions for the Dance singles in the UK: For "Need to Know / Direction": For "Take You Higher / Crunch": For "Heartbeat": For "Afterglow": For "Too Close": For "Half Light": For "Used to This": BEL SCOPeak positions for singles in Scotland: For "Afterglow": For "Too Close": For "Half Light": For "Sweet Lies": 2010 "Moonwalker / Samurai" — — — — rowspan="4" 2011 "Every Time / Overdose" — — — — "Tonight / Pistol Whip" — — — — 2012 "Automatic / Hands Up!" — — — — "Need to Know / Direction"(featuring Iman) 195 39 — — Lazers Not Included 2013 "Take You Higher / Crunch" — 35 — — RMNZ: Platinum "Heartbeat"(featuring P Money and Arlissa) 169 36 — — "Afterglow"(featuring Becky Hill) 8 1 — 15 BPI: 3× Platinum RMNZ: 5× Platinum 2014 "Too Close"(featuring Detour City) 55 14 78 83 "Half Light"(featuring Tom Cane) 25 9 133 28 RMNZ: Gold "Dirty Love"(featuring Talay Riley) 20 5 99 27 RMNZ: Gold Lazers Not Included (extended version) 2015 "Hit the Floor"(with TC) — — — — rowspan="2" "Hopelessly Coping"(featuring Thabo) 49 11 — 60 2016 "Flatline"(featuring Wretch 32) — — — — Hypnotic "What" — — — — "Sweet Lies"(featuring Karen Harding) — 34 — 98 BPI: Silver RMNZ: Gold Hypnotic "Brand New" — — — — 2017 "We Will Be"(featuring Matt Wills) — — — — "Wash Away (Calling for You)"(featuring Boy Matthews) — — — — RMNZ: Platinum "Rush"(with Dimension) — — — — rowspan="5" 2018 "Decompression" — — — — "Take It Up"(with Sub Focus) — — 92 — RMNZ: Gold "I Need"(featuring Hayla) — — — — RMNZ: Gold 2019 "All for You"(featuring Karen Harding) — — — — BPI: Silver RMNZ: Platinum "Illuminate"(with Sub Focus) — — — — RMNZ: Platinum Portals 2020 "Just Hold On"(with Sub Focus) — — — — "Air I Breathe"(with Sub Focus) — — — 85 RMNZ: Gold "Turn the Lights Off"(with Sub Focus) — — — — 2021 "Freedom"(with Sub Focus featuring Empara Mi) — — — — RMNZ: Gold "Frontline" — — — — Cognition "Keep Dancing"(featuring Amber Van Day) — — 99 — RMNZ: Gold "If You Want It" — — — — "Used to This"(featuring Issey Cross) 33 11 — — BPI: Gold RMNZ: Platinum 2022 "Close Your Eyes"(featuring Iiola) — — — — 2023 "Infinity"(featuring Ilira, Iiola and Tom Cane) — — — — Infinity 2024 "Never B Mine"(with Kioto Bug) — — — — "This Moment"(featuring Kelli-Leigh) — — — — "Balance"(with North) — — — — RMNZ: Gold "Break It Down"(featuring Emily Makis) — — — — "Shine On"(with Kaskade and Paige Cavell) — — — — 2025 "Back to Life"(featuring Julia Church) — — — — "Lose Control"(with Camo & Krooked and Mefjus featuring Ilira) — — — — "Come Down" — — — — "Back Up"(featuring Iiola) — — — — 2026 "Eternity"(featuring Mougleta) — — — — "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released.
Featured singles Year Title Album 2022 "Paradise"(Bru-C featuring Wilkinson) Family Only
Promotional singles Year Title Certiifcations Album 2013 "Tonight" RMNZ: Gold Lazers Not Included 2015 "Breathe"(featuring Shannon Saunders) RMNZ: Platinum Hypnotic
Other charted songs Year Song Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK UKDancePeak positions for the Dance singles in the UK: For "Here for You": NZ NZHot "On Your Mind": "Ultraviolet": 2022 "Here for You"(with Becky Hill) 43 12 8 — BPI: Silver RMNZ: Platinum Cognition "XTC" (remix)(with Solardo and Eli Brown) — — — 10 "Release Valve" — — — 14 "No One Else"(with Kanine and Clementine Douglas) — — — 12 "On Your Mind"(with Amber Van Day) — — — 34 2026 "Ultraviolet"(featuring Katy Alex) — — — 14 Infinity
Other appearances Year Song Release Label 2010 "Hypnosis" Sick Music 2 Hospital "Scream It" Andy C: Nightlife 5 RAM 2011 "Refugee" RAM 100 RAM "Get into It"(with Cyantific) Touch Me / Get into It RAM 2012 "Blender Bass" Non-album single Self-released 2013 "Casino" Andy C: Nightlife 6 RAM 2019 "Machina" UKF10 – 10 Years of UKF UKF
Remixes Year Song Artist 2010 "Hold the Line"(with Cyantific) Major Lazer "Oxytocin"(with Cyantific) Kid Adrift "Box of Secrets"(with Cyantific) Zarif 2011 "Under the Stars" Morning Parade "Time" Chase & Status "Reaching Out" Nero "Midnight Run" Example 2012 "Pixelated People" Jess Mills "Remedy" Professor Green "Pure Gold" Calyx and Teebee "Breaking" Syron 2013 "Reload" Wiley "Fade" Jakwob "Think About It" Naughty Boy "Too Close VIP" Wilkinson "Overdose VIP" 2014 "Direction VIP" "Sing" Ed Sheeran "Pardon Me"(with Professor Green and Laura Mvula) Naughty Boy "Go All Night" Gorgon City 2015 "Wild Frontier" The Prodigy 2016 "Be Bold" Tam Cooper 2017 "Skin" Rag'n'Bone Man 2018 "I Need"(with Metrik) Wilkinson2020 "Just Hold On"(with Sub Focus vs. Pola & Bryson) Sub Focus and Wilkinson 2021 "Freedom"(with Sub Focus vs. High Contrast) Sub Focus and Wilkinson "Turn Back Time" Diplo and Sonny Fedora "Rock It" Sub Focus 2022 "XTC" Solardo and Eli Brown 2023 "Miracle" Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding "The Last Goodbye" Odesza 2024 "Shiver" John Summit 2025 "Yosemite" Kettama and Interplanetary Criminal
Production credits Year Title Artist Album 2012 "Breaking" Syron Non-album single2014 "Merlin (Everybody Knows)" Detour City Non-album single "6 Words" Wretch 32 Growing Over Life 2016 "So Far Away" Katy B featuring Stamina MC Honey
References Notes
a "Need to Know" did not chart on the Ultratop's Belgian Flanders Single's Chart, but it charted at number 55 on the Ultratip chart.