A$AP Twelvyy - Before Noon

A$AP Twelvyy's album Before Noon drops on April 3, 2020, via Last Year Being Broke(n), marking a turning point between the maturity of 12 (2017) and the experiments of Noon Young (2022). This 36-minute-31-second record, composed of 14 tracks, maintains constant tension between returning to the source with a pure flow and the heterogeneity of production signed by thirteen different sound architects.

Return to Flow Without Manipulation with Last Poet

In a context where contemporary trap productions tend toward digital excess, this approach serves as a manifesto of sobriety. The complete absence of AutoTune and excessive vocal manipulation offers here a window into an era of emcees who flow without any studio tricks. This vocal purity contrasts violently with the technical reality of the record, where perceived quality seems to fluctuate at the whim of the eleven other tracks that follow. The opening track does more than present the artist; it establishes a red line that the rest of the album will sometimes attempt, though not always successfully, to respect.

The Collaborative Strategy with Pro Tools and Girl U a Star

If the album aims to be a strong return to the era of unmanipulated flow, it remains nonetheless an attempt at collaboration within the circle of the A$AP Mob collective. Four tracks feature credited guests, each contributing their specific element to this collective ambition. The strategy relies on the diversity of voices to enrich the initial proposition, but it quickly reveals the limitations of an approach that is sometimes too eclectic. On Pro Tools, Billz Raw's presence fits into this list of collaborations generally described as mediocre by consulted sources. The following track, Girl U a Star, welcomes Lunchbox to form an additional vocal duo. This feature simply counts among the four tracks with credited features, without one being able to discern here any specific nuance regarding the vocal register or energy of the song that would exceed the framework of a standard collaboration within the group. The track Brinx proposes a double feature with Zay Nailer and Lago 2.0. This configuration multiplies voices, contributing to the diversification of available sonic textures on the album. However, this accumulation of presences fits into a general context where quality is described as mediocre. On Baby Driver, it is A$AP ANT who intervenes to add a collective dimension to the project.

An uneven audio quality between the tracks and Very Aquatic

Beyond the names that traverse the album, it is primarily the variability of the production that dominates critical analysis. The presence of thirteen different producers induces a sonic heterogeneity described as either an incredible or mediocre situation. This rotation of figures behind the consoles creates a fragmented landscape where perceived quality seems to decline as one moves further down the tracklist. The guests, while necessary to maintain the balance of a collective project, fail to unify the sound. Each collaboration adds a layer of complexity that risks erasing the clarity sought from Last Poet. The raw intensity of certain tracks contrasts with the perceived degradation of final quality. The tension between the desire for a pure flow and the reality of heterogeneous production creates an imbalance that spans the entire duration of the 14 tracks. One moves from a solitary, promising opening to an abrupt closing, without the album ever managing to stabilize its sonic message.

The abrupt end of the project with Very Aquatic

The album concludes with "Very Aquatic," sealing a concise yet contrasting project that never fully resolved its duality between returning to roots and collective experimentation. This final track does not offer a miraculous resolution to the contradictions raised by the thirteen producers and their uneven talents. It simply marks the end of a 36-minute, 31-second adventure where collaborative ambition was tested through four tracks featuring within the A$AP Mob circle. The verdict is that of an album opening doors toward vocal purity rarely heard in 2020, yet closing itself within the technical contradictions of production that feels too scattered.

Technical Details

- Release: April 3, 2020 - Label: Last Year Being Broke(n) - Tracks: 14 (36 min 31 s) - Opening / Closing: "Last Poet" / "Very Aquatic" - Guests: Billz Raw, Lunchbox, Zay Nailer, Lago 2.0, A$AP ANT - Previous Album: "12" (2017)