A City On Fire

It was late. I was a young teen. My dad woke me up and told me to look out of the window. Across the small empty car lot that separated us, i saw it. The middle of our neighbour’s block was engulfed by flames. I rushed downstairs. The whole street was up and stood at the other side of the street watching the blaze. My neighbours came over with their dog and, visibly and rightfully stressed, asked me to watch their dog so they could attend to matters. I gladly obliged, my father went with them and the whole house was empty except for me and the shaking dog. I put the dog on the sofa and made it comfortable, the poor thing was pretty terrified. I was scared too so i decided to close all the curtains to try and keep the whole thing out of my mind. It was the latest i’d ever been up at that point. (including new year’s eve). I turned on the TV. I was greeted by the sight of a topless blonde woman riding a pink motorcycle through a grass field. This is when i discovered that here in Holland, after about 1PM, most commercial/lifestyle channels air softcore porn infomercials aimed to get (drunk and horny) people to call to sex hotlines that charge a couple of bucks a minute. It was the first porn i’d ever seen and i don’t think i’ll ever forget it. The next day the fire was put out and we were invited to the neighbours who’s dog i’d cared for. The fire hadn’t spread from the middle of the block, but there was extensive smoke damage. As we climbed the outside stairs i smelled the worst smell you could ever imagine. The most intense, peaty, harsh, flesh-like smoky smell hit my nostrils and kind of made me wanna vomit. It only got worse once we set foot in the house. Everything inside was covered in soot, white walls colored dark brown and wooden doors colored black. It looked like something you’d find in the Fallout game series, a forgotten, post-apocalyptic once-home. There were alot of mixed emotions in those few days. The very opening of A City on Fire is eerily similar to that horrible smell of someone’s burned hopes and dreams, but less intense and with sweetness. It’s like it commemorates the event and events like it, in a respectful and gripping way, rather than a gore-y and cruel reminder. As the drydown gets sweeter, the smokyness mellows and some spicy black liqourice notes surface (your mileage may vary) the more adult notes of spice and liqourice i can’t help but think back at that first time i discovered porn, my burgeoning sexuality and coming of age. The scent is well made, will last a long time and is very unique. It’s also very challenging to wear at work/formal situations, so buyer beware. Sample first, but do sample 9/10

First of, the notes on fragrantica is mostly off. Burnt match, Cardamom, and Labdanum are correct, the rest is wrong (according to Imaginary Authors themselves). It's Super smoky (as one should have expected from the name). It also has that slightly sour note in the opening. The kind you get when you smell a bonfire that has gone out after it has rained a little. There is no oud in any note breakdown, but i get an oud note, slighty skanky and barnyardy. There are some nice fruity/berry notes in the background. I can't tell exactly what by smelling it, but it says "Dark Berries" on Imaginary Authors own note breakdown on the bottle. It gives a slightly sweet and seductive side to it. As it drys down, i like it more and more as a fragrance. It get's cozy, and slightly sweet. The sour note is completely gone and it at that point resembles more of a oud fragrance with slight campfire note, with berries and woods. Although i like the whole fragrance journey. I can't help but love the drydown the most. And it starts at about one hour. I love the whole concept of the fragrance as well. When you look at the bottle, you are given the name, a picture, and notes that defines the fragrance. And that alone makes me create a whole story to what it is, even before smelling it. The fragrance itself is a journey as well. Although, A City On Fire isn't the Most wearable fragrance in the world. If you're going out on a late saturday night and you're dressed like a confident badass. This fragrance will complete the look by adding to that persona. Also. Wearing this on a date in the cooler half of the year is perfect. Spray it on about an hour before your meeting your date, and this will grab attention and intrigue her for the rest of the day and into the next day. It's sweet dark berries and a dark smoke woods, giving of a sexy vibe. Try it. You won't be disappointed. If you know what you're getting into, you'll probably like/love it. If you're going in completely blind and think it's going to be a sweet vanilla and amber fragrance, this will disappoint. I'd say everyone who buys this and hates it, should have looked at the bottle before buying it. It doesn't say "roasting marshmallows by the fireplace". It literally tells you it's the smell of a burning city and matches. Personal score: It gets a 9.75/10, and Legendary Status. Absolutely full bottle worthy, if you like this kind of scent. It's challenging in all the right ways, and if you can handle it. It will give you an experience and a scent trail that will truly entice people around you.

Very light application of this for an office day, not wanting to assault my co-workers. Probably a good call! Opening on this is to me more akin to fresh ashes or liquid smoke, not necessarily burnt matches to me but certainly a 'fire' type scent. It is a really strong note, one I personally like but would not want to subject others to the first spray. I will say the note is closer to 'liquid smoke' used for artificial smoked goods. After about 15-20 minutes it becomes less harsh, allowing the fresh woody tone to come through, amplified in the back with very light leather and I do actually get the undercurrent of blackberry that adds a touch of sweetness. The smokiness does linger, but is much more subdued. There is something else in there, I think it's the jatamansi and cardamon mix adding both resin and herbal notes. My first run in with jatamansi so it's hard to tell. I'm inclined to agree there needs to be something lighter in the mix just to even out the profile as it comes off quite heavy. It is a very linear scent, only really changing due to the smoke dying down. Performance wise it is acceptable for a more polarising scent in my opinion. Very strong in the beginning, able to fill a small room and leaves a noticeable trail. Thankfully this quickly dies down, and becomes more intimate about arms length, with a slight trail. The lasting power seems to be about 4 hours with any projection before becoming a skin scent - but more liberal application and layering it may last a little longer. Personally, I'd like better performance but... those around me may appreciate that it isn't a bomber scent. Definitely for me, though I would not use this a daily wear but I can see myself using it for outdoor adventures or more intriguing nights out. Absolutely not one to blind buy. 8.5/10 - Would be a 9 if the performance was just a bit better.

Hear me out. I finally found Guidance 46 on a trusted discounter's site, so I've been experimenting with layering. When I layer Imaginary Authors’ A City On Fire with Amouage Guidance 46, it feels like I’m pulling two completely different worlds together and forcing them to have a conversation. When I spray City On Fire first, the opening is all abrasive smoke and cinders, but once I layer Guidance 46 on top, the sharp edges soften. The florals and vanilla smooth out the crackling fire, turning it into something richer, like embers glowing under silk. If I reverse the order, starting with Guidance 46, it’s a completely different experience. That nutty, rosy, incense base lays a cushion, and then City On Fire crashes down on top of it, injecting chaos and drama into what would have been a graceful, elegant scent. Both ways, I can’t help but notice how they share labdanum which I imagine would be like their secret handshake that makes them blend instead of clash. The smoke clings to the florals, the incense deepens the woods, and the vanilla pulls the whole thing together into a strange, smoldering gourmand-oriental haze. I have to be careful, though because both perfumes are heavy hitters. If I overdo it, I feel like I’m dragging around a bonfire in a velvet cloak. The trick is one spray of smoke, one spray of silk, and then letting them settle into each other. When I get it right, I feel the combined scent tells a story. The match strikes, the fire roars, and then out of the haze comes this unexpected softness of ripened pear rose petals, hazelnut, and incense like goddess venus rising from the ashe filled clam. OMG. I created a modern day Botticelli.

EDIT: Every time I sprayed this on myself, I kept having fabled visions in my mind... The story of this scent feels like someone has burned their bridges. Bear with me. The very first spray, and you flinch backwards. Volatile and rough, as though someone you loved hit a low blow in a bad argument when you least expected it. Bitter words, rough smoke; something has exploded. It's dry, the scent of peat whiskey creeps in, perhaps to numb, perhaps to soothe. It feels tenebrous in the forest of thoughts tonight, with only fire and anger keeping you alight in the dark. Smoke lingers - rage perfuses still throughout - never leaving the scent story. But in this sombre forest, did you ever notice it started to rain? With the overhanging foliage above and the acrid miasma that assaults your respiratory tract, it goes amiss. Yet lingering are the wet juniper berries that beg to be seen under black fog. No fire lasts forever. No temper is left isolated without the company of other haunting spirits. And as the last bridge is burnt, the blaze is calmed by the cool of night. Like the eyes of the Earth, round fruits cast their gaze, bearing witness to the arson, the crime, the loss, and the sorrow that follows suit in displacing wrath. Nothing remains but the fumes on our clothes and the tears of berries. ----------------------- I adore this scent beyond words.