The Numb Project - A Space Between

​The Numb Project

A Space Between
self-released; 2025

By Jamie Funk

A Space Between marks the third full-length release from Numb Project in less than a year, and it feels like Chris Calarco is continuing to carve out his own lane. The Portland producer blurs the edges between abstract and lo-fi hip-hop, downtempo grooves, and dub-soaked trip-hop. This album feels like a meditation on existing in between—on the beauty of not needing to arrive anywhere. It moves through shifting spaces with patience, finding meaning in subtle transitions and the quiet moments between beats. With rich melodies and textured layers, A Space Between pulses with a boom bap heartbeat while exploring deeper emotional and musical terrain. It leans into the power of silence, letting pauses speak as loudly as the rhythms.

When I hit play, it immediately brought to mind artists like Prefuse 73, Four Tet, and The Avalanches. There’s a cerebral, atmospheric quality that reminded me of the kind of hip-hop that was emerging two decades ago. The type that favored mood, texture, and introspection over flashy hooks. It felt familiar but still fresh enough to pull me in.

“A Monkst” opens the album with jazzy undertones, wavy textures, and hip-hop-infused drums. The track feels smooth, and I loved the moments where the rhythm shifts slightly out of sync, giving it an unpredictable charm. “All Souls” stays rooted in jazz but picks up the tempo, layering in vocal samples that act more like instrumental flourishes than a focal point. It’s subtle and well-placed.

“Delia” stood out as one of my favorites. The offbeat percussion gives it a hypnotic, slightly disoriented groove that leans into psychedelic territory. It feels introspective, like wandering through your own thoughts. “Silverado in Dub” had me thinking of a version of Aphex Twin filtered through a hip-hop lens, blending glitchy textures with deep grooves.

The journey continues with “Bloom,” which shimmers with crystalline detail, and “Split Width,” where deep upright bass lines anchor the track while layers of sound orbit around it. Things get more abstract with “Bowling for Time,” a track that felt like being pulled through a warped, shifting timeline where beats dissolve and reassemble in unexpected ways.

Tracks like “Empty Impasse,” “Bail Me Out,” and “Leaves” kept revealing new textures with every listen. “Still She Dreams” was a clear highlight, and I highly recommend watching the video to fully appreciate its layered atmosphere. The album closes with “5 AM,” a lush, reflective track that feels like watching the first light of day after a long night of thinking too much.

This is a seriously good album. The production feels original and thoughtful, with beats and textures that weave together in a way that feels cohesive without being predictable. It is the kind of album that invites you to sit with it, whether you are zoning out or diving deep into every detail. Take a listen.

Become A Fan

Tweet