Tag: music

Fragrances for festivals – scents that stand out in a crowd!

With Glastonbury music festival about to kick off, and all manner of other festivals about to shimmy into the summer season, we are celebrating scents that lend themselves to the sounds you’ll be listening to…

 

But first: have you ever considered how perfectly linked music and perfume really are?

Well, we refer to a fragrance being ‘composed’, with fragrant ‘notes’ and ‘accords’, all of which were arranged on a perfumer’s ‘organ’. The scent is measured for how it ‘performs’, by how well those notes ‘harmonise’, and of course many fragrances (classic and modern) have melodious inspirations. But at The Perfume Society, we feel festival season in the U.K. is THE perfect time to harmonise your own experiences of hearing the music, and wearing a perfume that perfectly matches the mood (and can even enhance the vibe).

So, why are music and fragrance so inextricably linked, beyond the words we use to describe them? It might partly be down to the physical way we smell, how an odour molecule makes its way into our olfactory receptors. Yet this is something on which, astonishingly, scientists are yet to agree. The majority opinion seems to be that odour molecules have distinct shapes, and that some of these fit easily into corresponding olfactory receptacles (like a child’s shape-matching puzzle).

 

 

But there is another, still-controversial theory: that scent molecules, like sounds, vibrate. This theory has been put forward by biophysicist and scent author Luca Turin, and certainly finds favour with many. In an article she wrote for The Telegraph, Christine Nagel, resident perfumer for Hermès, explained it thus, namely that  ‘…odour depends on the ways the molecule can vibrate, determined by the exact arrangement of atoms and bonds inside the molecule. Differently structured molecules will “sound” different the way different musical instruments do, making them smell different from each other.’

For Francis Kurkdjian, the nose behind Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male and several Elie Saab bestsellers, in-house perfumer at Dior, as well as his own celebrated Maison Francis Kurkdjian line of fine fragrances, ‘…music and perfume are very much related because they use a common medium – the air. You hear music when the vibration of the sound in the air hits your ears, the same way that perfume needs the movement of air to come to your nose.’

Fragrance YouTube broadcaster Dariush (aka Persolaise) says that listening to music and wearing a fragrance that somehow evokes it is  a match made in heaven, saying that ‘In our gorgeous-smelling community of scenthusiasts, we know all about living through our senses,’ and explaining: ‘a favourite pursuit of mine, every now and then, is to choose one of my favourite albums, fire up my sound system and select a perfume whose notes will somehow enhance the musical notes emerging from the speakers.’

 

 

 

Dariush continues, ‘Sometimes I wear it on myself. Sometimes I fill the room with it. Sometimes I burn it in candle form. That’s not terribly important. The point is to give some thought to the sounds and consider what form they’d take if they were turned into a perfume.’ Reflecting on this act of listening while wearing, he concludes that ‘Making the effort ACTIVELY to listen to a whole piece of music is just as rich and memorable an experience as plunging into the complexity of a perfume. But what’s even more powerful is when you combine the two.’

We couldn’t agree more, and here’s our roundup of some fragrances we recommend wearing to festivals this summer (or simply enjoying while boogying in your back garden, if festivals aren’t really your thing!)

 

 

 

 

 

Noyz x Damon Baker Monochrome

Crafted with photographic prodigy Damon Baker – this is a festival-worthy scent that plays with light and shadow. Opening with the sparkle of citrus and an energising hit of earthy coffee, it’s an instant mood-lifter for sun-drenched afternoons. Meanwhile, the smooth blend of patchouli and addictive dry down keeps things intriguing as the night truly comes alive.

Currently £105 for 50ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

 

 

Marc Jacobs Perfect Elixir

With a playful burst of purple rhubarb and sunny orange blossom, this scent is a festival in a bottle. Warm amber woods and creamy vanilla bean wrap you in a joyful hug, perfectly matching the colourful, self-expressive spirit of a British summer festival, this is a true ode to individuality and celebration.

£72 for 30ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

 

 

 

 

Elie Saab L’Homme

Bergamot and pink pepper sparkle at first spritz, while smoky vetiver and warm cedarwood bring a touch of mystery and sophistication. It’s the scent for the festival-goer who moves between stages and tents with quiet, magnetic confidence. It’s one of those fragrances that’s as enigmatic as it is inviting.

£62.50 for 50ml eau de parfum johnlewis.com

 

 

 

 

 

Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Cherry Baby

This flirty, cherry-rich fragrance is a playful nod to festival fun – think sweet cherry, dark chocolate, and peony wrapped up in ultra cute packaging. It’s vibrant, youthful, and just the thing for making new friends under the festival marquee – and it lasts really well on even dance-warmed skin.

£39.99 for 75ml eau de parfum thefragranceshop.co.uk

 

 

 

Guess Iconic Man

A bold, spicy opening of Sichuan pepper and mandarin sets the tone for adventure, while aromatic sage and earthy vetiver keep things grounded and intriguing. It’s the scent for the festival trailblazer who loves to stand out, but doesn’t want to try too hard – effortlessly cool and utterly beguiling, leaving a trail of allure wherever they party.

£67 for 100ml eau de toilette guess.eu

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Scent Matching The Last Dinner Party Songs

The Last Dinner Party – a British band with theatrical performances and a contemporary baroque-inspired sound – have captured the imagination of critics and fans alike. Their meteoric rise to fame, culminating in sold-out gigs at London’s Apollo this October, and we think this makes them the perfect subject for our ongoing scent matching series…

The quintet’s unique blend of art rock and indie pop, coupled with their Renaissance-inspired aesthetic, creates a rich tapestry of sensory experiences. Their music is a heady mix of dramatic vocals, soaring melodies, and intricate instrumentals that transport listeners to a world of opulence and intrigue. It’s this multifaceted approach to their art that makes The Last Dinner Party ripe for olfactory exploration.

 

The Last Dinner Party

 

At The Perfume Society, we’ve long believed that fragrance has the power to enhance our appreciation of other art forms. By pairing scents with songs, we can delve deeper into the mood and character of both the music and the perfume. It’s a synesthetic journey that adds new dimensions to our understanding of these creative works.

 

The Last Dinner Party has a sound that has been likened to ‘a heady cocktail of influences’, from Kate Bush and David Bowie to ABBA and Florence and the Machine. This eclectic mix is reflected in their visual presentation, with the band often appearing in elaborate, period-inspired costumes that wouldn’t look out of place in a Baroque painting or a Victorian gothic novel. We reckon they probably all smell amazing as well! But which songs are we choosing to scent, and how…?

 

 

Bottle of Peach's Revenge by Sarah Baker Perfumes

 

Their debut single, ‘Nothing Matters‘, burst onto the scene with all the drama and flair we’ve come to expect from the band. The song’s powerful vocals and crescendo of instruments create a sense of euphoria and abandon that begs for a bold, statement scent to match its intensity.

Scent Match: Sarah Baker Peach’s Revenge

This ain’t no innocent prissy peach perfume, that’s for sure. Describing it as a ‘Viciously juicy peach for Renaissance power plays,’ perfumer Chris Maurice leans into the ripe fruitiness, which veritably drips deception, being laced with amaretto and hiding a sizzle of ginger and cinnamon in the flesh. Imagining ‘A handsome villain [strutting] out of the orchard trumpeting an exuberance of salacious fruit,’ the creamy caramel builds a delicious throb of anticipation.

£145 for 50ml extrait de parfum in our shop

 

Another standout track, ‘Sinner‘, showcases the band’s ability to blend the theatrical with the deeply personal. Its introspective lyrics and building instrumental layers pairs beautifully with an opulent, sensual scent that reveals new facets with each listen…

Scent Match: Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal Absolu Parfum Concentré

Monsieur Gaultier cares not for old-fashioned biblical warnings of ‘gilding the lily’: with customary twinkling charm this intensified version of the original dips every petal of a tuberose stem in gold. Thus encased, the floral notes shimmer to ripe, syrup-drenched fig and a silken sandalwood base. Daring the wearer to ‘indulge in the most eccentric and irresistible pleasures,’ we suggest you wear with your most glam party heels and dancing on tables!

£105 for 50ml parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

 

The title track of their debut album, ‘Prelude to Ecstasy‘, hints at the sensual and the sublime. One can imagine a fragrance that captures both the anticipation and the release, with notes that unfold slowly, mirroring the song’s journey…

Scent Match: Amouage Love Delight

Inviting us to ‘savour every moment of indulgence’, this is veritably laced with loveliness. From the warming, aqueous tingle of ginger (unusually used in the top notes, here), juicy mandarin and cinnamon-sprinkled rivulets of rose water; there’s an abundant floral bouquet via entwined swags of jasmine, heliotrope and rose. As the scent warms on skin, the fragrant garden path leads us to an altogether more sensual encounter of rum-swirled cocoa-flecked warm vanilla.

£320 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

Another track on that album we feel is begging to be scent-matched is ‘Burn Alive’. The concept can symbolise transformation and renewal, akin to the rich, smoky notes that add a sizzle to a scent, and the song’s driving rhythms and passionate lyrics evoke feelings of heat and fervour, suggesting a spicy scent profile…

Scent Match: Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede Extrait

With a longevity and projection that will astonish and delight fans of the original Ganymede (and quite possibly summon fragrance lovers from other planets), this olfactive encounter imagines the dry, hot rockiness of Jupiter’s satellite. Brilliantly conceived by founder and designer Barrois, and composed by his good friend and genius nose, Quentin Bisch, waves of warm, sandy immortelle flowers drift with incense to a mineralic, leathery base. Truly otherworldly.

£260 for 50ml extrait harrods.com

 

 

 

Meanwhile, ‘My Lady of Mercy’, with its haunting melody and religious imagery, calls for a scent that balances the sacred and the profane – perhaps an incense-laden perfume with a twist of something unexpectedly modern…?

Scent Match Serges Lutens L’Orpheline

Lutens’ achingly personal inspiration conjures incense swirls, evoking the mystic rituals it’s used for. The cold flagstones of a darkened church echo here to carefully paced footsteps, before billows of smoke clear and slender slivers of brightness appear. L’Orpheline is veiled in a scented, sacred mystery, its emotions running deep.

£191 50ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Strictly Scents: Part Two (matching fragrances to all the dances)

Strictly season is hotting up, and we’re scenting all the major dances with fragrances we feel best compliment their unique characters. Don’t forget to read Part One for all the background context of these features, but briefly put, music and fragrance have myriad connections. What’s more, we love mixing cultural references, as it adds to our understanding of scent as an emotive medium!

So, simply decide which dance best sum up your personality, or would match your mood today, and then seek out the perfume we’ve picked to accompany it…

 

 

 

American Smooth – BDK Vanille Leather

The magic of seeing couples glide over the dance floor in this so-sophisticated number never gets old, and we know you’ll be won over by the rich smoothness of the glorious vanilla in this scent, too. But if you avoid gourmands, fear not! Get set to banish all thoughts of it being sickly: this has great depth but glides on skin like a silky caress. Rich, yes, but so, SO chic. Shot through with Indian tuberose, Egyptian jasmine and orange flower, there’s a fizzing sense of excitement from pink peppercorns and a swoony violet to infuse the trail, along with that creamy, dreamy vanilla.

£195 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

Viennese Waltz – Chopard Imperiale Iris Malika

A classic dance style often depicted in romantic films, the sweepingly graceful moves are reflected in this regally arrayed fragrance. Enrobed in purple, the majesty of this Chopard scent is apparent even before the first spritz. Echoing both the colour of the iris flower and the robes associated with royalty, this fit-for-a-Queen fragrance billows wild berries and warm spices borne aloft on a feather-light, powdery cloud of that exceptional orris concrete, garlanded either side by jasmine and ylang ylang. Further spices infuse opulently silky balms and woodiness in the base. One to fall madly in love with, for sure.

£90 for 100ml eau de parfum fenwick.co.uk

 

 

 

Salsa – Jean Paul Gaultier Divine

Overtly feminine in style, this is a blur of boobs, hips and feet sashaying with intent (and filled with happiness!) You’d not be able to do it in the actual corset, but you can definitely feel the vibe wearing this fragrance. Gilded breast cones? Of COURSE it’s a JPG – referencing one of his iconic fashion pieces in fragrant form, it’s sparkly, yet has a satisfying gourmand hit. Envisage sun-warmed skin, now add opulent wafts of white flowers, and a scented surprise where the addictive sweet creaminess of whipped meringue is suddenly shot through with a lip-smacking hint of the salty sea. Breezy yet buxom, it’s an invitation to be the very best, fragrantly fabulous version of yourself.

£66 for 30ml eau de parfum jeanpaulgaultier.com

 

 

 

Argentine Tango – Floris Tuberose in Silk

Surely the most passionate dance of all, this drama-filled spectacle needs a scent that can balance the sheer sexiness with restraint. Teetering betwixt the hip-swivelling sensuality of tuberose and the softness of a rose’s velvet blush, this surprising dive into untamed eroticism is held at bay by the cashmere fluffiness of musk, a warm hug of amber and a dusting of iris. Calmed by these, the orange blossom and jasmine join the white flowers in a more controlled dance than if left to cavort, while camphor’s on hand with the smelling salts for the final dip.

From £30 for 50ml eau de parfum florislondon.com

 

 

Charleston – Vyrao Sun Rae

Need an instant shot of energy? You will with this breathlessly entertaining dance, and wearing this gloriously uplifting scent – infused with ‘a supercharged Herkimer diamond crystal for clarity and to boost energy levels’ – the brilliant Lyn Harris has created her own magic from a ZING! POP! FIZZ! of citrus explosions that feel like you’re being beamed above the clouds with every spritz. Turn on the scented spotlight for a sizzle of turmeric and black pepper, adding ruffled layers of welcome warmth, while bergamot, lemon, and aqueous ginger sparkle like bottled sunshine throughout.

£135 for eau de parfum libertylondon.com

 

 

Couple’s Choices: (a category introduced in 2018 – celebs and their professional dancer partners have a choice of performing either a contemporary dance, a street/commercial dance or theatre and jazz. We’ve chosen a scent for each..)

 

 

Couple’s Choice Contemporary – Bruno Cucinelli Pour Homme

A poetically lyrical style of dance that often incorporates balletic moves and lifts, this dance truly expresses the emotion of the music. The fragrance for this match is just as expressive, while masterfully understated. Paying tribute to the Italian design house’s home of Solomeo with every sophisticated, spice-infused spritz, Olivier Cresp evokes rolling Umbrian hills, an aromatic landscape brought to life via cypress, juniper, clary sage and Nigerian ginger flecked with flinty black pepper. Known for his masterful textures and superb fabrics, Cucinelli’s aesthetic and his homeland are so brilliantly nuanced within the blend: a sense of overlapping complexity that simultaneously feels effortless.

£160 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

Couple’s Choice Street – Art de Parfum Sabotage

Often introducing a retro dance style to appropriately nostalgic tunes, this dance always puts smiles on the audience’s faces. Similarly, this scent joyously revels in revery, harking back to the 90s as its perfumed point of reference. We’re imagining it worn while dancing to MC Hammer’s ‘U Can’t Touch This’ for extra fun. And this really is fun to wear. It has us pining for the optimism and carefree attitude of that era, which is cleverly evoked here with a boozy Negroni accord, a breeze of spearmint, tuberose naughtily swirled with wormwood, earthy patchouli and a mossy dry-down. It’s ‘da bomb’ (as we liked to say, back then).

£125 for 50ml extrait artdeparfum.com

 

 

Couple’s Choice Jazz – Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club

The vibrant allure of an illicit after-party in a wood-panelled club is evoked here via a fizz of pink pepper, the brightness of neroli and lemon slinking to the rum-infused fun of the rich heart. There’s a shadowy coolness of vetiver oil from Java, a sense of refinement from the tobacco, and a sensually resinous vanilla base; but it’s the kind of night that will linger long in your memory, and your secret smiles…

£115 for 100ml eau de toilette maisonmargiela.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Strictly Come Spritzing – fragrances for every dance!

Fragrance and music have long been linked, but in this matching series we’re partnering perfumes with Strictly dances, too! Which ones will you most be drawn to, and which would match the mood of this new season’s celebrity couples’ characters…?

The Waltz, Cha-Cha-Cha, Quickstep, Rumba, Tango, Jive, Foxtrot, Paso Doble and Samba were the first dance forms showcased when the programme began in (can you believe it?) 2004. Later, in series 3, the American Smooth and Viennese Waltz were included for the first time, followed by the Salsa and Argentine Tango, which were added as part of the lineup for Series 4, and the Charleston in series 7.

To fully explore the perfumes I’ve paired with each dance, and truly celebrate the high-stepping kick-off of the new Strictly season, I thought it best to split these scent suggestions into two parts; beginning with the original dances and moving onto the later additions as the competition really heats up.

Now, get on your dancing shoes, pop on a pair of leg warmers, limber up, and get ready for the scented spotlight…

 

 

Waltz – 4160 Tuesdays Dancing With Strangers

First introduced in the 18th Century, this dance shocked polite society for how close couples’ bodies were pressed. Cult Fragrances author Tessa Williams partnered closely with Sarah McCartney with this twirling-ly provocative perfume. We’re treated to a deliciously fragrant waltz that’s partly formal-feeling, with lipstick-y rose, violet and white florals; part exuberant energy, shot through with solar jasmine and joyous honeysuckle.


From £40 for 15ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

 

Cha-Cha-Cha – Edeniste Rose Délice

A lively, playfully flirtatious dance, this needs a similarly light-hearted fragrance to match its mood. Vibrant, colourful, and yes, flirtatious, here Bulgarian rose essence brings glorious radiance, refreshed by a sun-kissed splash of sparkling mandarin from Italy. French May rose absolute from Grasse – the rarest and most precious – adds sensuality. Notes of red berries, naturally present in some varieties of roses, tinge the vivid bouquet with extra playfulness. A velvety drydown of vanilla and musk sashay the scent to skin-like sensuality.

£60 for 30ml eau de parfum In our shop 

 

 

 

Quickstep – EAU.MG Rockin Rose

Fast, powerful, but still full of fun, this dance requires a perfume that can keep up! Rockin Rose really sets the pace with an uplift of mouthwatering juicy pear and melon, immediately followed by a soaring floral heart of narcotic muguet (lily of the valley) and a rose that runs to greet you with an exuberant smile. Even rose naysayers will fall madly for it! Finally, as it warms the scent fades out with a trail of ultra comforting musk and silkily grounding sandalwood for a breath of serenity after all that energy.

Try a sample as part of The Garden of Delights Discovery Box £23 / £19 for VIPs

 

 

Rumba – Dunhill Icon Elite

Considered the most saucily romantic of all Latin ballroom dances, here’s a scent that equally appeals to bohemian spirits. This tobacco-laden fragrance speaks of long liquid lunches in smoky bars padded with faded leather and panelled in dark wood. Musky Cuban cascarilla oil is pierced by the piquancy of pimento berries and a cool shot of pine needles with herbaceously aromatic sage. The gently smouldering base of patchouli gets comfortable with a boozy cherry-like sweetness of the toasty tonka beans. Hip-swivelling-ly good!

Currently £43.95 for for 100ml eau de parfum sephora.co.uk

 


Tango – Tom Ford Ébène Fumé

Famous for its trademark sharply accented, staccato moves, this dance is passionate for sure, but it celebrates a love of life, not only romance. Palo Santo infuses this woody-amber incarnation ‘an almost spiritual sensuality that uplifts your mood.’ It smoulders meaningfully alongside dry cade essence, resinous cistus absolute, carnal roses, guaiac and thorny, ebony woods. The trick it carries off? This would be equally at home on the dance floor at a party or in bedroom, afterwards.

£220 for 50ml eau de parfum tomford.co.uk

 

 

Jive – Ruth Mastenbroek Dagian

Upbeat, lightning-quick and seriously social, this one needs a scent that projects a sparkling freshness yet lasts the whole night long! Dagian is inspired by ‘…the feeling of optimism that breaks at dawn, the exhilarating hope of a fresh start. As the sun rises, a breeze of lime and mint shimmers over notes of orange blossom and rum.’ Energetically fizzing from first spritz, this is one to reach for when you need an immediate WHOOSH! of energy that doesn’t fade (as most citrus-centric fragrances can). Perfect for any weather, too. A must-sniff.

Try a sample in the Ruth Mastenbroek Discovery Set for £27.50

 

 

 

Foxtrot – Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood Extrait

Known for its iconic ruse and fall motion, there’s a smoothness to this dance which requires something equally silky as a scent – but a fragrance that appears as seemingly effortless. Well. Does anyone do utterly wearable oudhs for Western sensibilities better than Francis Kurkdjian? Probably not. Here he offers us a masterful paring-down from the original Oud Silk Mood, with an eau de parfum. Can silk get any smoother? Somehow this manages to be airy yet still voluptuous, the Laotian wood woven through with Bulgarian roses, Italian bergamot, Indian papyrus and Moroccan blue chamomile, with a hit of hedoine. Simply heavenly.

£320 for 70ml extrait de parfum selfridges.com

 

Paso Doble – Floral Street Black Lotus

Theatrically dramatic, full of angular shapes and fabulously intricate flamenco-style footwork, it’s the fastest of the Latin ballroom dances. For this scent, imagine a deep red rose dressed in a black leather jacket. A classic note but so Intoxicating, spirited, bohemian and alive – this is a fragrance that feels complex and multi-faceted, the sweet honeyed scent of centifolia rose adds depth to lighter, spicy nuances via a sizzle of red peppercorn and warmly tingling saffron. ‘Once smelled forever adored’ they say, and we think you’ll totally agree! Go on, succumb…

Try a generous 10ml travel spray eau de parfum as part of the Scintillating Scents Discovery Box £33 / £29 for VIPs

 

Samba – Granado Pharmácias Boemia

A Brazilian dance with its roots firmly in Africa, this is an expressive style where dancers must move hips, feet and arms to the beat – where music seems to course through the entire body. Obviously this beloved Brazilian brand had to be our choice, and we’re plumping for this scent, which they explain the origins of: ‘The atmosphere of Lapa at the beginning of the 20th century was the starting point for this intense creation. Ambrée, striking and extremely elegant, Boemia represents all the sensuality and daring of the most bohemian neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro. With 92% of ingredients of natural origin, the perfume has a light fresh spicy air over warm and sensual notes, enveloped by an atmosphere of mystery and sophistication.’

£110 for 75ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com (Also available at their new Ham Yard and Regent Street stores)

Until next time: keeeeeeep spritzing…!

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

A festival of fragrances: what scents to wear this summer?

Now summer’s properly arrived, it’s festival season a go-go in the U.K. Each one has its own character, and there’s something for every taste – so we thought a perfect pairing would be to match the events with an accompanying fragrance that echoes the festival’s vibe.

Tune in, spritz on and bliss out with these…

 

 

Isle of Wight Festival (15 – 18th June) + Ostens Patchouli Heart No.II [Try it in the Ostens Discovery Set, £40 for 6 travel-friendly samples]

With PULP, Blondie and the Manic Street Preachers as notable headline acts, there’s always been a laid-back cool to this festival, which presages many of the later music events following on. Choosing a scent with a suitably nonchalant chill to it is essential – trying too hard here will simply earn you a raised eyebrow of disapproval. This isn’t Coachella, darling, so ditch the heels and stick with a scent that rocks the vibe. Ostens Patchouli Heart No.II is elegant authenticity personified, incorporating breezy cypress, a tingle of ginger, and billowing violet with sheerly gorgeous woodiness.

 

 

 

Glastonbury(21 – 25th June) + 4160 Tuesdays Flora Psychedelica £50 for 50ml eau de parfum

The mother of all music festivals in the U.K. really, it’s become infamous for the likelihood of torrential rain at some point during the event, causing national newspapers to splash ‘mud-bath larks!’ type photos across their front pages. Originally the place for hippies to hang out and get groovy, the price of tickets nowadays ensures a more middle-class crowd. We suggest wearing a truly indie fragrance that evokes the far out spirit of 1960s, with this ‘iris on a bender’ scent, incorporating mushroom-y weirdness with floral crowns and absinthe for a truly trippy encounter.

 

 

 

Latitude (20 – 23rd July) + Manos Gerakinis OMEN [try in the Manos Gerakinis Discovery Set, for £30 for 6 transportive samples]

Pulp are playing here, too (busy reunion tour, this year, with cult jewellery brand Tatty Devine even dedicating a range to their iconic songs), but for this ex goth, it’s all about the comeback of Siouxsie (of Banshees and, later, Creatures fame). As the queen of the dark side, I feel she, and all festival-goers who are moved by the music, would appreciate this creation, inspired by a Delphic oracle who enters ‘…a state of delirium by inhaling the vapours emitted by the sacred chasm beneath the temple.’ Spiritual smokiness swishes leather, amber, oud and ambergris in fabulous fashion.

 

 

 

Camp Bestival (27 – 30th July) + Floral Street Sunflower Pop from £28 for 10ml eau de parfum

This is a family-friendly gathering that always draws an artistic crowd, and yes there’s great music, but it’s more about a lifestyle celebration. With sustainability at the core of its ethos, and always keen to showcase independent companies, I think a great match would be with the booming British brand, Floral Street. Here, they’re inspired by Van Gough in a scent which vibrantly fizzes with fresh mandarin, Calabrian bergamot, and accords of vegan honey and Bellini cocktails. It settles to a smooth, nuanced warmth, with a scented sunset that feels timeless. Happiness in every spritz!

 

 

 

Womad (27 – 31st July) + Maya Njie Les Fleurs [try it as part of the stunning Maya Njie Discovery Set £34 for 5 pocket-friendly samples]

Founded in 1980 by the musician Peter Gabriel, this festival proudly celebrates world music, with the Womad Foundation now creating opportunities for cultural learning and sharing via artists all over the globe. A vibrant expression of togetherness, I think artist, perfumer and founder Maya Njie’s Les Fleurs (named for Minnie Ripperton’s 1970 song) perfectly incorporates music, here, as an inspirational medium. Rippling with bergamot’s brightness, a mellifluous magnolia and ripe fig, it’s an ‘unbound celebration of life, love and creation’ which brilliantly sums up the festival’s spirit.

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Get in to the (scented) Groove – the history of fragranced vinyl

With it being the iconic ‘Last Night of the Proms’ classical music fesitval on Saturday, and having recently delighted in previously ‘Perfuming the Proms‘ for our blog; those wishing to make this a long(er) player of perfume should seek the Music & Perfume edition of The Scented Letter magazine. In it, we traced the harmonious relationship between music and fragrance to its very beginning, but here award-winning writer Amanda Carr looks at the utterly intriguing history of fragranced vinyl through the years…

Vinyl is having something of a moment, with new record stores selling both vintage and new vinyl LPs opening in all the hippest of locations. Imagine our thrill, therefore, when we discovered that vinyl is often sold scented! From Madonna to Stevie Wonder, musicians have perfumed their vinyl grooves to enhance the listening experience.

Fragrances are often inspired by a good tune. The gorgeous Acqua di Parma Note Di Colonia collection springs to mind, with its appreciation of soaring operatic crescendos, artful preludes and glorious musical scores. On a more modern note, JUSBOX’s collection of fragrances honours musical genres: there’s Cheeky Smile, which celebrates Acid House, alongside Green Bubble, a scented ode to reggae (and yes, there are notes of marijuana in the accord). JUSBOX‘s vinyl-capped bottles can even be found for sale in an actual record shop, the delightful Olympic Studio Records in Barnes. (Disclosure: it’s owned by my husband – which is how I stumbled onto this story in the first place…)

Actually scenting the grooves is an inspired move. It’s no surprise the Queen of Pop, Madonna, dabbled with perfuming her tunes. First pressings of 1989’s ‘Like A Prayer’, were impregnated with the smell of frankincense and patchouli, reinforcing religious connections, along with song tracks such as ‘Oh Father’, and pictures of Madonna’s considerable crucifix jewellery collection. Our much-played copy of the album still carries a shadowy sillage of a rather good patchouli scent, although those earthy, incense vibes remind us more of dressing up and dancing till dawn at parties held in darkened basements rather than the cold stone and incense-heavy interiors of churches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stevie Wonder’s ‘Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants’, a title crying out for its own scent, was perfumed with a floral note on its release in 1979, although apparently stopped after reports that the scent – which fans of the record remember as a faint hint of rose – turned out not to be helping the quality of the sound. But technology has since improved considerably and scented vinyl continues to be pressed by modern artists. The Third Man record company, founded by uber-cool musician Jack White, bought its own vinyl factory in Detroit, where its produces top quality vinyl that is often scented. Karen Elson, ex-wife of Mr. White, released ‘The Ghost Who Walks’, in 2010, as a delicate peach coloured vinyl record which is also scented with the dewy aroma of softly sweet peach.

Less artful but still enthusiastically received by fans, the 30th anniversary ‘Ghostbusters: Stay Puft Edition’, a 12-inch double A-side single, released by Sony Music in 2014, was scented with marshmallow in tribute to the film’s giant Stay Puft marshmallow baddy. Singing along to Ray Parker Jr.’s catchy theme tune on one side and Run-DMC’s updated reboot on the other, could surely only be improved with wafts of sugary-sweet vanilla notes coming off the stylus. We can’t help thinking that other film soundtrack albums could use fragrance creatively to add to the sense of fun, for example wouldn’t ‘Mamma Mia’ be even more joyous to sing along to if it pumped out an olfactive scentscape of a sun drenched Greek island alongside the songs…?

With a different angle on the concept, Japanese fragrance house Shiseido once hired musician Hiroshi Noshimura to create a vinyl album entirely inspired by one of its fragrances as an innovative gift-with-purchase idea. The fragrance was called A.I.R (Air In Resort) so the album, which was steeped in the scent, was given the same name. The music complemented the green, forest notes of pine, earth and wood with a sound track of birdsong, the sea and field-based recordings of nature. Customers were were encouraged to listen to the record while appreciating the scent. It’s certainly a step up from the paper tester blotters we’re used to.

And artists, it seems, simply can not resist a scratch-n-sniff album cover. A quick chat on the super-informed Discogs forum, where music fans hang out to talk all things vinyl (there are many similarities between music and perfume fans) turned up a long list of album covers with scent-infused patches used to enhance the listening. The gold standard scented cover is unanimously agreed to be a 1972 release by The Raspberries, with a scratch-and-sniff sticker that smelled very convincingly of…yep, raspberries.

 

 

 

 

From Duran Duran’s limited edition ‘Perfect Day’ 7-inch single with its strawberry scented ice cream cone cover, to Spinal Tap’s The Majesty Of Rock album, with its scratch-and-sniff sleeve scented with Ye Olde Roast Beef Flavour, via Melanie’s ‘Garden In The City’ – where listeners were encouraged to rub the sticker to ‘release the magic of Melanie’s Garden’ – musicians clearly love to scent their songs.

We say: that makes for a great-smelling record collection. And we’d like to see more of this, please…!

By Amanda Carr

 

 

To get even further in the groove and explore the links between music and scent, have a look at our print copy of the Music & Perfume issue of The Scented Letter Magazine…

• In Hitting All The Right Notes (above), Viola Levy looks at ways that modern perfumers use music to inspire their creations

• Ofactory consultant Pierre Aulas – who chose perfumery over a career as an opera singer – shares the secrets of his creative days in A Working Nose

• Scent gets social with Smellfie Day 2020, our celebration of International Fragrance Day – which had quite a different message in this strange year

• Suzy Nightingale invites us to enjoy A Scented Symphony, discovering a perfume house with works with instruments, artisans and musicians

• And why note create your own scented playlist? In Listening to Scent, Persolaise invites us to sit back, relax, hit ‘play’

And of course, as usual, we bring you all the Latest Launches, news, events – and so much more!

 

We are now able to take orders for a limited run of printed copies of the magazine, priced £12.50 to our VIP Subscribers (£15 to non-VIPs). And remember: you can now also buy an annual print subscription to The Scented Letter (six issues), here

(NB Print copies are sent out approximately 10 days after each new issue of The Scented Letter appears on the website, so please bear with us. We work right up to the wire to make sure everything is truly newsworthy!)

Perfuming the Proms – classical music-inspired scents

We’re always fascinated by the links between music and fragrance at The Perfume Society – indeed, we dedicated an entire issue of The Scented Letter magazine to the subject of Music & Perfume, fully exploring how music terminology came to be attributed to fragrance – accords, notes, compositions, harmony, the perfumer’s organ. To wear a perfume is to create your own harmony, and we feel emotionally connected by this invisible expression, just as we do when hearing a piece of music that moves us.

 

 

With The BBC Proms 2022 having begun – a whole host of concerts from now until 10 September – what better time to really relish these links and wear the classical compositions with pride? Here, we present a selection of perfumes that showcase music and even musical instruments themselves…

 

 

 

Created by perfumer Pierre-Constantin Gueros, the fragrance was then interpreted by composer Javier Marti­nez Campos and cellist Gautier Capucon. Based on ‘a tale whispered by an apothecary in the perfume souks of Deira’  it’s ‘the story of a nomad, a genius virtuoso from the desert whose divine cello notes echo, creating indescribable magic as transcendental and velvety scents float in the desert air.’ Think silky, langorous luxury, the warmth of amber tempered by the freshness of bergamot, a melody of myrrh married to chewy, delicious tonka and stickily addictive resins.

L’Orchestre Parfum Ambre Cello £129 for 100ml eau de parfum
ab-presents.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Bursting into blossom with a joyous rush of juicy grapefruit trickling into rosemary infused honeysuckle and a swag of jasmine sambac absolute, JUSBOX’s first classical perfume is inspired by Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons – ‘an interweaving of violins that chase one another in an allegro of pure melodies, unfurling with the awakening of Nature.’ We imagine twirling in a meadow while wearing this, paddling in streams and laughing euphorically, dancing on freshly cut lawns and feeling at one with nature. An immediate mood-lifter that truly celebrates classical music and life itself.

JUSBOX Perfumes Spring Dance £125 for 78ml eau de parfum
selfridges.co.uk

 

 

 

‘At a party on Paris’ rive gauche, a woman’s fur coat is lifted from her bare shoulders, exposing her neck to the candlelight. Aware of many eyes upon her, she pauses, smiling to herself, before emerging like a conqueror from the shadows. A sensuous body of lavender is warmed by patchouli, amber and vanilla, and transformed by notes of pineapple and mandarin.’ One to wear at the Opera in Paris, we feel – a stunning vintage-feel fragrance that evokes oppulence, divas and passionate encounters in dressing rooms.

Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Music For a While from £42 for 10ml eau de parfum
fredericmalle.co.uk

 

 

 

Inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the famous theatre in Venice, and further more, ‘by the preciousness of the pearl, a symbol of femininity, loved by great sopranos who have trod the stage of Gran Teatro La Fenice’, this is ascent that exudes softly filtered, opalescent light. A fluff of powdery muskiness feels like backstage at the dressing table, while a grand bouquet of white flowers is hopefully proffered by a bevvy of admirers. Delicate yet hugely characterful, it takes the wearer from the cool of first placing the pearls at your throat to the drama of the fragrant finalé.

The Merchant of Venice My Pearls from £126 for 50ml eau de parfum concentrèe
themerchantofvenice.com

 

 

 

An olfactory picture of ‘the transcendental woods of the 1800s, where craftsmen built violins and bows in the tiny towns of the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts’, this thrum of woodiness resonates with the magnificent depth of mahogony, richly sweet maple shavings and the resinous waft of standing in the middle of that forest and windering which trees have granted musicians the tools of their artistic trade over the years. The aromatic pine of the arboreal atmosphere is finally burnished with walnut – a sensation of closing your eyes and feeling the music vibrate inside your body, your soul itself.

DS & DURGA Bowmakers £148 for 50ml eau de parfum
libertylondon.com

 

 

L’Orchestre Parfum – the ‘mix tape’ you can smell & listen to…

L’Orchestre Parfum harmonise perfumers and musicians to create fragrances ‘to smell and listen to.’ We just know they’re going to strike a chord with you…

We talk of perfumers ‘composing’ a fragrance, using ‘harmonic’ ‘notes’ and ‘accords’. Traditionally, a perfumer would arrange their fragrant ingredients according to ‘top, middle and base notes’, on a ‘perfumer’s organ’. We explored the long history of Music and Fragrance in The Scented Letter Magazine, and L’Orchestre Parfum are a niche perfume house that really turns up the musical inspiration to eleven…

All of the fragrances evoke the central instrument associated with particular styles of world music, with L’Orchestre‘s founder, Pierre Guguen, visiting the workshops of the artisans who create the instruments – smelling the types of wood and materials they use and, wherever possible, then getting perfumers to echo these in the notes of the final scent.

 

 

Everything L’Orchestre do has a musical inspiration, each scent comes with a QR code to scan, so you can sniff and listen simultaneously.

Simply click on the name of the scents to be whisked to the musical accompaniments…

ARABIC

Thé Darbouka eau de parfum, composed by perfumer Amelie Bourgeois and interpreted by Nicolas Leroy, evokes a Sahara desert dawn coloured by the nomadic rhythm of a darbouka, a goblet drum that has been around for thousands of years. Thé Darbouka is an elusive unisex sweet and spicy fragrance with main notes of bergamot, caraway, candied fruits, immortelle, oud, cocoa and styrax.

TECHNO

Bouquet Encore eau de parfum, composed by perfumer Pierre-Constantin Guéros and interpreted by POPOF with Animal & Me, evokes irresistible techno waves, a fluorescent rhythm in black light with collective adrenaline surging. It is a sublime ultraviolet bouquet of tubéreuse and jasmine amplified by explosive timut pepper. Irresistible Madagascan vanilla, ambroxan and sumptuous musks reinforce the addiction of this euphoric mix. Sensual, carnal and addictive, Bouquet Encore is a narcotic, unisex floral fragrance.

HOUSE

Electro Limonade eau de parfum, composed by perfumer Nathalie Feisthauer and interpreted by NIID, takes you to a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea at sunset, with a ‘chill out’ cocktail in hand. A perfect mix where the fresh essences of lemons, clementines and Italian bergamot dance alongside a mint ‘canaille’ and cocktail bubbles. Rhubarb and orange blossom lead you into a night where the groove is hovering over amber wood bass, incense and Haitian vetiver. A fizzy, sparkling and aromatic electronic unisex fragrance that accompanies you until the early hours.

FLAMENCO

Flamenco Néroli eau de parfum, composed by perfumer Anne-Sophie Behaghel and interpreted by Mathias Berchadsky, evokes the gardens of the Alcazar Palace in Seville where an evening walk is guided by the subtle arpeggios of a flamenco guitar. Flamenco Néroli is a luminous unisex citrus-woody fragrance with main notes of néroli, bergamot, bigarade, ginger, jasmine, Virginian cedar and Atlas cedar.

CONTEMPORARY

Piano Santal eau de parfum, composed by perfumer Jean Jacques and interpreted by Edouard Ferlet, evokes white sheets and somnolent skin scents in a woody, surrealist, musical cathedral. A white woody dream, languorous, pheromonal and milky, it is a mystical moment and unforgettable movement between dream and reality. Piano Santal is a unisex fragrance with main notes of white sandalwood, cedarwood, white musks, heated skin, bergamot, ambroxan, warm milk and caraway.

JAZZ

Rose Trombone eau de parfum, composed by perfumer Anne-Sophie Behaghel and interpreted by Nicolas Benedetti, evokes a Jazz Club in Harlem, New York, where magnetic glances are exchanged during a torrid trombone solo. Rose Trombone is a sensual, clean and aldehydic unisex fragrance with main notes of rose, ‘clean’ notes, pear, vanilla, sandalwood, white musk and rum.

 

By Suzy Nightingale

Issey Miyake Fusion – make your own music on the nature-inspired drum machine!

The new Issey Miyake fragrance, Fusion d’Issey, has inspired an immersive and interactive experience created in partnership with The Perfume Shop, to celebrate the launch…

We’ve been banging our drum about the many ties between music and fragrance for years – in fact, we recently dedicated an entire issue of our magazine, The Scented Letter, to Music & Perfume  – so we’re delighted to see Issey Miyake showcasing Fusion in such an imaginative and multi-sensory way…

Sounds of Fusion is, they explain, ‘the first drum machine inspired by nature in Fusion, where users are invited to create their own music composition using the sounds of elements in Fusion.

 

 

The experience immerses into an interactive home page inviting users to take part in an intuitive and easy creative soundscape page where they can create their own unique piece of music.

“Sounds of Fusion” offers a new playground for both novice and experienced music creators. It takes its roots in the popular organic and nature-inspired music genre.

The experience is composed of:

4 main themes inspired by nature: air / lava / water / stone sounds

8 different sounds representing the main themes, as different interpretations of each one

A play and pause button, there to start or stop the player

A record/share button allowing to download the composition when one’s done, and share it on different social media channels

The digital platform is live now and open to anyone who is keen to become his/her own music creator inspired by organic sounds.

Be inspired & share your Sound of Fusion!’

 

 

 

So, why not spritz your scent and get inspired to create your own track to share with friends online? With Issey Miyake you’re invited to ‘Dive at the heart of the elements where the strength of nature is expressed through images and for the first time… through sounds. Just listen: water flowing on rocks, wind blowing through leaves, boiling lava, crackling rocks…’

For those of you who’ve not managed to get your noses on the new fragrance yet, Fusion juxtaposes hot and cold, a fascinating exploration of the perfumer’s alchemy in conjuring coolness from citrus and coconut milk, the breeze of a solar-filled mineral accord (think sunlight sparkling on water). Earthiness exudes from the smooth sandalwood, while resinous patchouli provides the heat of the base.

 

Issey Miyake Fusion d’Issey £49 for 50ml eau de toilette
theperfumeshop.com

By Suzy Nightingale

And all that jazz… Fragrance writer’s musical talents raising money for charity

Stephan Matthews, is a fragrance writer and long-time friend of The Perfume Society, and of course a man who’s been obsessed with scent for many years, and he has revealed another talent: music!

Stephan got in touch with us after he saw the theme of our just-published Scented Letter magazine: Music & Perfume, commenting that there must be something musical and fragrant wafting in the air, as ‘…the timing of this is a little spooky! I’ve just rereleased my Jazz album from 2006 to raise money for NHS Charities Together.’

Stephan explains: ‘We’re all trying our best to support each other during these challenging times, but one of the areas that is still under so much pressure is the NHS. We have so much to thank them for, so I wanted to help in some small way.

Back in 2006, I released a successful jazz album called Call Me Irresponsible. It was only available as a CD (remember those?) and went out of print in 2010. I changed career and went back to my real name, swapping the acting business for the perfume industry, and the recording was archived.

 

 

Spending so much time at home recently gave me the chance to finally go through the last few boxes that were never opened when we moved and, in one of them, I found all of the original paperwork and masters.

So, after fourteen years and with the help of my original producer Richard Niles, Call Me Irresponsible is available to download and stream with all of the profits going to NHS Charities Together. It’s been great fun to revisit these recordings, and I can’t believe it was fourteen years ago!’

The recordings are now available to download or stream on iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify.

We were hugely impressed, on listening, and with music and fragrance definitely filling the airwaves right now, it’s a great way to support NHS Charities Together – and the way this fragrance writer is helping – in such a toe-tapping, enjoyable way…

By Suzy Nightingale