Rome is an album born from a collaboration between music producer extraordinare Danger Mouse and composer Daniele Luppi, several years in the making.  They delve deep into a love of music from Spaghetti westerns and wind up producing a fascinating piece that will appeal primarily to trip-hop / downtempo fans but also has a wider appeal.

Rome has a lot going for it right out of the gate. Besides Danger Mouse's credentials, there are the vocal coups in the form of Jack White and Norah Jones. Daniele Luppi's compositions are simply lovely; the apparent goal here was to not only build atmosphere but to immerse the listener in a very specific musical ground. Tracks build off of each other thematically and you wind up lost in a strange sea composed of a curious mixture of melancholia and nostalgia. There are some evocative pieces here, such as "Theme of Rome" and "Roman Blue", which really submerge you into this landscape. The instrumentals are particularly effective at this, including "Morning Fog (Interlude)" and the full-fledged piece "Morning Fog". Even the vocal pieces, such as Jack White on "The Rose With the Broken Neck" and Norah Jones on "Season's Trees", are able to draw you in the same way as the instrumentals. 

The choice of theme here- Spaghetti western-inspired music- is an interesting choice. It took me back to the days my father would watch Westerns on Sunday afternoons, and what was once boring and abysmal is now strangely comforting and emotive. This album is like a time machine, and Danger Mouse anchors you with his modern sensibilities along your journey. In this way Luppi and DM compliment each other; the album never strays too far into nostalgic pastiche or loses itself in its downtempo trappings. There is a beauty in these 15 tracks that, when channeled as ear candy, will move you.

I can't recommend this album enough. Amazon.com currently has it for $5 as a digital download; do yourself a favor and grab it.

Julio maintains his collection of curiosities at http://www.julioinprogress.com.