The Denver hip-hop duo calm., consisting of Time and AwareNess, has dropped Pushing the Portals, hailed as one of 2025's standout hip-hop releases. The conceptual album explores themes of nostalgia, grief, and multiverses through introspective lyrics and genre-bending production. It is available for streaming now, with an official release show planned for later this winter.
Album Overview
Pushing the Portals marks the latest project from calm., a duo with 22 years of collaboration under their belt. Time, whose real name is Chris Steele, handles the lyrics, while AwareNess, or Chavo Trejo, crafts the beats and contributes vocals. This year alone, they have released five albums, building on their history of world-building narratives. The album's cover continues themes from their previous work, delving into time travel and alternate realities centered around a character named Big Homie who disappears, prompting dimension-hopping adventures.
Themes and Inspiration
Drawing from personal experiences, the record reflects on childhood memories from Denver's Northside, including Time's recollection of finding an abandoned gun as a kid, which inspired the track "hey friends, have you heard the news." Songs like "Dirty Lab Days" pay homage to the Dirty Laboratory collective, a Park Hill-based group from the early 2000s that included AwareNess, Time, and other local artists. The duo emphasizes maintaining their friendship and shared goals amid global tours. AwareNess describes their creative process as synergistic, with ideas bouncing between them to create diverse sounds—from folk-infused "Sitting by Your Tombstone" to industrial goth in "Am I Only My Pain?."
Standout Tracks and Social Impact
The album opens with "The Toaster Beckons," setting a portal-jumping premise, and closes with "Braiding the Timelines," pondering quantum physics and existential questions. Tracks like "Depression Curry" and "Flight Risk" tackle mental health and the pitfalls of fame. Pushing community uplift, Bandcamp proceeds from their single "Free Palestine, Abolish ICE," featuring Locksmith and DJ Pain, support activist Jeanette Vizguerra detained by ICE. calm. also nods to Denver's enduring hip-hop scene, from CD sales eras to modern streaming.
Upcoming Events
An upcoming performance at Bricks on Main in Longmont on November 30 serves as a mutual aid benefit for Food Not Bombs. Tickets and details are available via the venue's website.