Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi's Ambitious 'Rome' Due March 1

Brian Burton (L), AKA Danger Mouse, and Italian composer Daniele Luppi (R) have finally wrapped a five-year project utilizing the world of "spaghetti western" music as a jumping off point. The ambitious new symphonic album Rome, featuring guest vocalists Jack White (who contributed lyrics as well) and Norah Jones, rides into stores and online on March 1 via Capitol.

Burton and Luppi met in 2005 and quickly discovered that they shared a love for 60's Italian soundtracks, particularly those associated with the classic Clint Eastwood westerns scored by Sergio Leone, and the project's conception began shortly after. "It is about love, death, happiness – the visceral connection of man and women, " says Luppi. "It’s a dark vibe, melancholic, a little foggy."

Says Burton: “Rome seems to have fed into everything I’ve done – you can hear it in a lot of Gnarls Barkley, it’s all over Broken Bells too. I get a lot of offers to do film soundtracks and I’ve never said yes, because no one has heard this yet, and I think some people still think of me as a hip-hop producer. But this is what I would actually do, if I were to make a soundtrack. I’m really happy it’s out. I just hope it’s not going to take five years to do the next one.”

Listen to an NPR interview w/ Burton and Luppi (and preview some music) here. Interview w/ The Guardian (U.K.) here.

Danger Mouse + Daniel Luppi (w/ Norah Jones) - Excerpt from Rome

Danger Mouse + Daniel Luppi (w/ Jack White) - Excerpt from Rome