View this post on Instagram

A post shared by A2’ (@a2_vii)

The unexpected project saw no promotion in the build-up to its release, with the fans’ first time hearing about the project being its release. The project is 21 songs long and features Thea Gajic, who is an actor, writer and director from south London who opens 17 with a piece of spoken word. The actor has featured alongside A2 on his 2017 project Blue as well as featuring on tracks alongside Jorja Smith and Jords. The second feature is Kash Willis, a reasonably unknown artist who has worked alongside A2 previously on an E.P. titled Once Too Many which also saw a feature from the previously mentioned Thea Gajic. The features on the track don’t have any of their own work on streaming sites such as Spotify, with the music on their pages solely being work they have done alongside A2.

This project from A2 comes as a shock to many, with the artist announcing his retirement from music following his last project release Just So You Know, which the Croydon artist released earlier this year. The rapper took to Twitter in May 2021 after the release of Just So You Know and told fans “Just so you know probably gonna be my last contribution to music”

Just so you know probably gonna be my last contribution to music — A2’ (@A2Artist) May 26, 2021

This release is A2s’ fourth solo project having dropped his first, Blue in 2017. Unlike his other projects, which tend to consist of around 10/11 songs, his recent release is 21 songs, making it his longest project to date. The artist’s announcement of retirement from music in May and the sudden drop of what will be his largest project, this could be A2 signing off by giving fans the last bits of music he wants the world to hear. 

A2s’ Cloud Vault One is available to listen to here:

A2 uses the album to speak on a number of topics, including his love interests, keeping to the conventions of the Rnb Genre, and accolades. The album starts with audio from a video of Nigerian actor Kanayo O Kanayo in which he says “Oh wow I deserve some accolades”. The opening song may be A2s call for his much-needed accolades, being an artist who has constantly pushed the UK RnB sound receiving plaudits from some of the biggest artists in the country including fellow Croydon-er Stormzy who chose A2 as his opener on his 2017 Gang signs and prayers tour.

The project consists of 11 songs including previous releases, ‘Not mine’, ’No rush’ and ‘Akolades’, the latter being released after a two-year hiatus of solo A2 music. His only appearance in those years coming as a feature in 2020 on ‘Unpredictable’ alongside fellow South Londoners Fee Gonzales and H Moneda. Fee Gonzales feature on A2s recent release, being one of the two features on the project with the other being previous collaborator Etta Bond who appears on ‘No rush’.

The day before the release of ‘Just So You Know’ A2 announced on Twitter that his latest project will probably be his last contribution to music, the self-effacing artist tweeted:

Just so you know probably gonna be my last contribution to music

— A2’ (@A2Artist) May 26, 2021

Alongside his album release, the singer also released merch. The ‘them versus us, lucky number 7’ tee was released in 3 different colours and announced on the artist Twitter.

THEM•VERSUS•US
LuckyNumberVii #1

Join the team…