Tone Stith
The Edge (to be released May 15, 2026)
If you were outside in these R&B streets with us in the late 2010s, you know the options for good music were few and far between.
You always had veterans like Stokely Williams or Miguel popping up to show the newbies how it’s done, but there was a lack of fresh, young talent who seemed primed to move the genre forward.
That is, until we met Tone Stith in 2017.
His debut mixtape Can We Talk was what R&B dreams were made of. The music was very much rooted in the rich history of 80s and 90s R&B, but exuded the vibrant energy that you’d expect from a 22-year-old prodigy.
Familiar, but forward thinking.
Right then and there, I proudly declared the Tone Stith was next up. It was HIS time.
But, sadly, time kept on tickin’, and with every passing year the crown seemed further and further away.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like Tone completely fell off. Far from it. He slowly built his name by touring with Victoria Monet and racking up writing credits. And while we did get some solid songs along the way – the moody “FWM” still bangs – Tone’s later projects lacked the laser focus of his debut.
Now I’m never one to criticize experimentation, but something was missing from those subsequent EPs. They were sometimes vibey, sometimes soulful, sometimes trappish, but never distinct. It seemed like Tone was desperately searching for his voice, that one sound that would land.
And then we got “Fly.” And finally he was soaring again.
With a No. 1 R&B single on his resume, The Edge – Stith’s official debut album almost a decade after his introduction – finally gives him the distinct sound he’s been searching for.
And that sound? Feel-good R&B.
The title track hits you with a jolt of electricity right out of the gate. It’s fun, it’s funky, and most importantly, it’s necessary. The world’s current obsession with 90s R&B is simple to understand – in dire times like these, listeners want music that just feels good. They want to get lost in the rhythm of a pulsating bass and The Edge is here to be their guide.
Of course “Fly” is the album’s standout track, with Tone’s search for freedom perfectly portrayed by the soaring production. I love how the finger snaps briefly slow the pace on the bridge before ramping up the energy one last time. A+ song arrangement.
“Fly” may be the standout, but it’s far from the only winner. “Pageant Stage” is an elegant ode to his girl, crooning “you’re the definition of a perfect 10” with complete sincerity. “Back Around” and “Come to Me” are just as inviting, with the former exuding 80s energy while the latter morphs into a steppers groove. You can’t help but smile.
It’s not all fun and games, though. Tone lets his frustrations fly on “Shut Up,” where he blasts his critics for their “stupid expectations, silly observations.”
Um … I think he read some of my reviews of his post-“Can We Talk” projects.
But it’s all good. Even though he’s on one, there’s still a lighthearted energy throughout that keeps the song from being a rant session. It kinda reminds me of those 2000s era joints from the likes of JoJo, Eamon n’ dem. Yeah, they’re mad, but they’re having a ball being pissed. The rock-fueled “I Quit” is another airing of grievances, thought it’s not as fun.
The Edge wraps up pretty succinctly with the fitting closer, “Better Days.” The guitar licks are high energy, Tone’s vocals hit just a little higher and the optimism is undeniable. After a few years in R&B’s wilderness, it seems like Tone is finally ready to turn that decade of potential into promise. And he knows it. He believes in himself, and the music is shining more brightly because of it.
I’m glad I stuck around for the journey. Now it’s really time to soar.
Best tracks: “Fly,” “Come to Me,” “Back Around”
4 stars out of 5
Leave A Reply