PHOLKS by Leon Thomas

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Leon Thomas is in his moment. Coming off the success of his sophomore album in MUTT, an album I thought wasn’t as strong as his debut, the multi-hyphenate has seized the R&B genre by the throat and thrashed it around and refuses to let go. From the deluxe (HEEL), to a Tiny Desk performance, winning best new artist at the BET Awards, and opening his tour in Atlanta at ONE Musicfest, Thomas seeks to add a little extra insurance to his dominance over 2025 with his newest EP, PHOLKS.

What’s refreshing about Leon Thomas’ emergence is his clear love for the art form. From having a hand in production, his storied career as a songwriter, being a multi-instrumentalist, he is adept at adopting his influences and packaging them in a modern way without sounding strictly like homage tapes. PHOLKS settles in with what feels like an extended cut from MUTT in “Just How You Are,” a bass-heavy junt that previews the funk approach that will come to define the tape. His ability to create some of the catchiest choruses and hook will only strengthen his appeal as the R&B wunderkind.

Clearly a sonic descendent of 70’s and 80’s funk, the short EP feels like a little passion project that…