Richard Green is a skilled Milan and London-based composer and multi-instrumentalist who has gratefully returned to the limelight with his long-awaited new track, “Purpose and Price.” Richard is based in his home studio in Italy. He has complete creative freedom and writes, performs and produces all the notes.
His artistic vision, however, is completely realized in a collaborative cooperation with his trusted sound engineer, who painstakingly mixes and masters the music. Together, this devoted creative couple has already produced a celebrated neoclassical trilogy. And now they are planning to release a few upcoming singles, including the much awaited autumn EP, Electronic Therapy, making this new track a stunning preview of what is to come.
With this stunning instrumental, Richard urges us to explore a difficult topic, can a song communicate a deep story without a single lyric? “Purpose and Price” illustrates that words are totally superfluous when the music is this expressive.
Inspired by a serious debate in a television show that talks about how the persistent pursuit of achievement may sometimes eat away at our humanity, the music is a masterclass in modern storytelling. It asks each of us a simple but heavy question, “What does success cost you?” Richard does a great job of illustrating this internal struggle by dividing the emotional landscape of the song into two conflicting forces.
The “purpose” is experienced in driving, intense rhythms that suggest focus, passion and determination. The “price,” in contrast, is the quiet, solemn moments of sacrifice we make along the way, a musical metaphor for sacrificing our inner serenity in the pursuit of ambition.
What’s amazing about this trip is the way Richard integrates many musical styles to produce a rich, dramatic sound in a really respectful way. The song is a sturdy, modern base of warm, funky basslines inspired by funk and hip-hop.
Over this constant heartbeat he lays powerful, expressive guitar tones that offer raw energy and emotional strain, displaying his early inspirations of performing Red Hot Chili Peppers tracks in his teens. He envelops these in futuristic electronic synths and ends with delicate touches of jazz and blues, appreciatively.
These different styles cooperate elegantly rather than clash. The song emerges gradually with a basic, catchy motif that reappears in numerous guises, making for a very touching experience.
We are all familiar with this musical conflict in our daily lives. We all pursue our own “purpose” every single day, be it a career milestone, a personal goal or establishing a brighter future for our loved ones. But the hunt usually comes with a “price.”
We often forgo sleep and valuable time with family, we exchange our peace of mind to get to the top. Richard’s song acts as a nice, non-judgmental mirror to our modern hustle, lovingly asking us to pause and consider if our triumphs are actually worth what we’re giving up along the way.
In sum, “Purpose and Price” is a great accomplishment, the work of an artist whose commendable refusal to be constrained by musical classifications is Richard Green. It is a great reminder that music is a universal language and can touch the deepest portions of our souls.
To get the full impact of this masterpiece, we suggest putting on a pair of good quality headphones and bringing the lights down low and letting the music wash over you on a quiet walk in the evening or late night drive. Let the layers of the movie take you by the hand and ask yourself, what is your mission and what price are you prepared to pay?
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