Incensenut
Reviews
Incensenut
People like most the melodies they have already heard
People favorite melodies are those, they've already heard, and almost all of Angelos's compositions follow this path. They are well executed, full of ingredients, and hence multifaceted (although sometimes also a little chaotic because of that). In most cases, they perform well too.
But they are derivative (Angeliki and Yassemi to a much lesser extent). It is not necessarily a bad thing, it depends on what you are looking for in perfumes. Creating better (or worse) versions of predecessors' creations is a common procedure. Some call it progress.
But I look for creativity, not only craftsmanship, even if high level. In almost every Angelos perfume I had the impression, that I knew this scent already, and usually, those are not slight similarities. They are small tweaks or much richer ingredients (chapeau bas for that). But a huge part of the scent resembles something else. It might cause nostalgia, but the better impression would provide reaching for the original.
In the case of Irida, a very nice iris and violet-centered scent, I couldn't stop thinking about Serge Lutens' Iris Silver Mist. The beginning is not identical, Irida seems to be slightly more natural (or just chaotic?) and a little more sour. By the time of evolution, it moved away from Lutens' scent (not that much though). The creation of Roucel is "coldblooded", and vegetal, with more and more prominent raw greenness of vetiver, and Irida evolves into more warmer territories, thanks to woods and labdanum. Anyway, It is a nice scent, but it must be inspired. And when compared hand in hand, it loses a lot of its appeal. But maybe I simply prefer Uncle Serge's offering?
But they are derivative (Angeliki and Yassemi to a much lesser extent). It is not necessarily a bad thing, it depends on what you are looking for in perfumes. Creating better (or worse) versions of predecessors' creations is a common procedure. Some call it progress.
But I look for creativity, not only craftsmanship, even if high level. In almost every Angelos perfume I had the impression, that I knew this scent already, and usually, those are not slight similarities. They are small tweaks or much richer ingredients (chapeau bas for that). But a huge part of the scent resembles something else. It might cause nostalgia, but the better impression would provide reaching for the original.
In the case of Irida, a very nice iris and violet-centered scent, I couldn't stop thinking about Serge Lutens' Iris Silver Mist. The beginning is not identical, Irida seems to be slightly more natural (or just chaotic?) and a little more sour. By the time of evolution, it moved away from Lutens' scent (not that much though). The creation of Roucel is "coldblooded", and vegetal, with more and more prominent raw greenness of vetiver, and Irida evolves into more warmer territories, thanks to woods and labdanum. Anyway, It is a nice scent, but it must be inspired. And when compared hand in hand, it loses a lot of its appeal. But maybe I simply prefer Uncle Serge's offering?
Masterfully blended!
Rauque is another Roberto Greco's successful collaboration. This time with Christopher Sheldrake. The perfume created is meant to reflect Roberto's childhood memories of vacations spent on a farm in southern Italy. As with Greco's previous compositions - Oeilleres and Porter sa Peau - there's a vintage vibe here, but in this case, mixed with Sheldrake's signature melancholic style.
The scent is a shapeshifter. It opens with a beautiful blackcurrant bud, with hints of violet. Almost instantly come sweet, powdery flowers. I detect mainly cassia with slightly earthy narcissus, but the blackcurrant is still present, adding freshness to the composition. After a while, myrrh with leather, with a little bit of sweet mushrooms starts to dominate, and I have the impression of a waxy or oily texture. An animal aspect is present from the opening till the end, although it's not sharp or dank. The drydown is a little bit of everything from the previous phases on an amber base.
It's unisex, not leaning to any side. Longivity is impressive, sillage is on a good level. If I'm looking for similarities, from the ones I know, I think it's closest to 1740 from Histoires de Parfums, although Rauque is more complex.
Very worth trying!
Greco, the photographer, refers to the subsequent flacons as copies of theirs work, which consists of images and fragrance created simultaneously and complementing each other. For those who were unable to visit his exhibition where the artwork was presented, the nice addition to the bottle is a booklet/mini album with beautifully reproduced photos and an author's commentaries.
The scent is a shapeshifter. It opens with a beautiful blackcurrant bud, with hints of violet. Almost instantly come sweet, powdery flowers. I detect mainly cassia with slightly earthy narcissus, but the blackcurrant is still present, adding freshness to the composition. After a while, myrrh with leather, with a little bit of sweet mushrooms starts to dominate, and I have the impression of a waxy or oily texture. An animal aspect is present from the opening till the end, although it's not sharp or dank. The drydown is a little bit of everything from the previous phases on an amber base.
It's unisex, not leaning to any side. Longivity is impressive, sillage is on a good level. If I'm looking for similarities, from the ones I know, I think it's closest to 1740 from Histoires de Parfums, although Rauque is more complex.
Very worth trying!
Greco, the photographer, refers to the subsequent flacons as copies of theirs work, which consists of images and fragrance created simultaneously and complementing each other. For those who were unable to visit his exhibition where the artwork was presented, the nice addition to the bottle is a booklet/mini album with beautifully reproduced photos and an author's commentaries.
