Establishing the mood with a super dimensional, astral synthscape tapping into 8-bit notions, Richard Green opens Purpose and Price with a cosmic allure. We appreciate the syncopated drums, textured percussion and the eventual expansion of the track into a somewhat cerebral and psychedelic universe.
There are intentional atonal, non-harmonic moments, intertwined with various synth lines which could be the soundtrack to a 90s video game like Sonic The Hedgehog. The main melodies pull out to reveal a contemporary jazz-adjacent motif which feels more chilled. The track’s main protagonist synth returns to tap back into that subversive and magnetic vibe, and we are enthralled throughout, appreciating the ebbs and flows that manifest.
The concept behind Purpose and Price stems from a powerful question Richard Green heard in a television series: “But… how much does it cost to you?” In essence, this idea became the foundation of the track’s message, exploring how “some people sacrifice their human side to reach some goals; to put it metaphorically, it’s like selling the soul to the devil… so, it’s not only the purpose, there is a price as well, and sometimes the price is too high.” Richard explains that “the meaning of the tune is a strong and important concept,” which is why “there is a kind of aggressivity in this production.”
Speaking on his sonic inspiration behind the release, Richard says, “I’ve played a lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers with my guitar during my young age and I strongly believe that this production has been influenced by that type of music. It’s a mix of rock, hip-hop, funky music.”
On his creative process, he adds, “I did everything in my home studio in Italy, and my sound engineer completed the work in his studio, mastering the track. I think my main strength is my ability to compose music in completely different styles, which is why I work on projects that are very different from one another.”
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Purpose and Price to our TRIPPY playlist and our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Richard Green, and anticipate future releases!