Image
Image Credit
Paul Archuleta / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Size
landscape-medium
Leon Thomas clearly knows the recipe for a good deluxe album. On Friday (May 23), the singer revealed the official tracklist for MUTT Deluxe: HEEL, the expanded edition of his sophomore album originally released last year.
“New sounds. Same soul. The other side of the story,” he captioned an Instagram post announcing the LP, which will add an additional nine records — some remixes, others previously unheard material — to the original 14-record lineup. He’ll be teaming up with Big Sean on two records, including “PARTY FAVORS” and a new version of “VIBES DON’T LIE.” Also on the project is Kehlani, whom Thomas teased a collaboration with in his sit-down with BBC Radio 1Xtra in February.
The deluxe wouldn’t be complete without the Chris Brown-assisted remix of “MUTT” or “RATHER BE ALONE” featuring Halle Bailey, both of which were released earlier in the year. The first-mentioned track peaked at No. 13, propelled by R&B mainstays teaming up, while the latter offered fans a welcome change of pace compared to Thomas’ earlier album cuts.
How SZA Inspired The Deluxe Version Of Leon Thomas’ ‘MUTT’
Interestingly enough, SZA, whom Thomas worked with on “Snooze,” partially influenced the creation of MUTT Deluxe: HEEL. The “YES IT IS” singer told Billboard that he took a page out of the Top Dawg Entertainment songstress’ playbook with LANA, the deluxe version of SOS she dropped nearly two years after the original.
“I was really inspired by [SZA’s] LANA and how she gave us a whole new energy. I even saw a resurgence of ‘Snooze’ right after that drop, on the production and songwriting side, which was really good,” Thomas shared with the publication, noting that he was already searching for “healthy ways to breathe life back into” MUTT.
What Else To Expect On ‘MUTT Deluxe: HEEL’
Aside from the aforementioned songs, Thomas will treat listeners to a number of new records across the expanded album’s C and D sides: “HEEL,” “NOT FAIR,” “PRIZE” and “CATCH A STRAY.” The deluxe version will arrive next Friday (May 30), so in the meantime, revisit the original release below.
