Flowers From Exile -- Rome

For fans of Nick Cave, Swans, and Death In June--this is your new favorite record. Rome is an incredibly underrated band, and the simplicity of Flowers From Exile can at first be disconcerting for those expecting something more jarring from such masculine vocals. Instead, Jerome Reuters' voice comes off as gentle, almost vulnerable. Though clearly influenced by German minimalist Krautrock and neofolk, Flowers From Exile has a distinctly Spanish flair. The record strikes a perfect balance between gaping aural space, field recordings, layered instrumentals, and industrial-percussive elements. Put on this record and tell your friends it's from the early 80s (they'll believe you).

The Spanish elements could possibly be explained by the following:  

"Flowers From Exile is supposedly based upon the events of the Spanish Civil War, a conflict in which Retuer's family partook." - Brainwashed

IMO, "Odessa" is the most heartbreakingly gorgeous song on the record. 

download