As an HBCU marching band alum (shoutout to Central State), I’m used to music that’s alive—horns that cut through the air, percussion that shakes your chest, arrangements that feel bigger than the moment. That’s why so much of today’s music leaves me cold. It’s not that there aren’t talented artists out there, but too much of it feels like it’s built off loops and templates, not musicianship. That’s why Leon Thomas’s PHOLKS hit me differently. It reminded me what real music feels like. Honestly? It’s my favorite album of 2025.