The Number Red’s quest for meaning in “Siddhartha”

Introspective, spiritual, and invigorating are just some of the adjectives that can describe the powerful tune “Siddhartha.” The first release from the full-length debut album, 'The Purple Light' by the independent music collective The Number Red.

The Number Red is an ever-evolving incarnation and independent music collective. Their style is primarily rooted in the alternative rock genre, but they also incorporate diverse influences from various other genres such as 60s folk, 80s indie, soul, psychedelic, and dream/synth pop. Their distinctive sound has quickly gained the attention of an audience of connoisseurs, especially after releasing “The Purple Light,” where they decided to explore the concepts of loss, a new beginning, and spirituality using an old 70s drum machine and Moog synthesizers.

Their debut release Siddhartha, as well as their debut full-length album, was written and recorded between spontaneous bursts of inspiration whilst members of the band were living between London, Berlin, and India. Siddhartha is a reflection on the spiritual nature of humans. From the very beginning, we can hear “'I dedicate my love to no one but the spirit” highlighting the search for enlightenment and guidance toward the essence. The title itself, “Siddhartha,” represents the accomplishment of objectives or prosperity. However, this search does not correspond to an individualistic mindset. As the song mentions next, “The same one that's in me, the same one that's in you.” Spirituality is conceived then as the unifying element in all human beings.

The depth and sacredness of the song are gracefully transmitted as well by its incisive and unique sound. The soothing vocal performance that almost feels spoken conveys the wisdom of a traveler and gains vitality when it is merged with the repetitive musical patterns that emulate pulsations. The track also has elements of psychedelic rock and dream/synth pop that evidence the roots of the band and pay honor to the artists from which they found inspiration like Bob Dylan, Beach House, and David Bowie.

Siddhartha marked the debut of the highly anticipated 'The Purple Light’ album. The Number Red has a few more albums recorded towards the end of their time in Berlin, in addition to some analog sessions that were completed while they were staying in Madrid for an extended period. They have plans to go on tour during the years 2023 and 2024, and will also be returning to the recording studio soon.

STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE NUMBER RED ON INSTAGRAM