A City On Fire
Imaginary Authors (2014)

A starkly appalling balsamic fragrance halfway between a rural Indie-style blend and something urban petrochemical, a concentrate of sci-fi, noir and metallurgical neo-romanticism in the middle way between the dark, edgy, and minimalist 2007 Sonoma Scent Studio Fireside Intense (balsamic resins, conifers, wild bitter herbs, burnt smoky aura), 2013 Comme des Garçons Black Eau de Toilette (for its dominant smoky cade note, dry woods and incense-like atmosphere) and 2014 Rouge Bunny Rouge Tundra (herbal damp woodsy atmosphere) with a tad of 2009 Slumberhouse Vikt's wild grassy darkness. Not my cup of tea but I appreciate the job. A City On Fire by Imaginary Authors is a 2014 woodsy-smoky-balsamic unisex fragrance performed by Josh Meyer. It is a tribute to burnt cade oil since the creation features cade oil as its central element, while celebrating its finest qualities through a skillful combination with other elements. Cade-essential oil is obtained from the distillation of juniper wood and manifests itself externally with a balsamic, tar-like, woody, dry and smoky scent. A City On Fire opens with an intense, smoky burst of cade oil, evoking burning coniferous woods and charred paper. As it develops, warm notes of cardamom and labdanum emerge, adding a subtle spiciness, mossiness and resinous depth. In the drydown, the smoke softens slightly, revealing a faint sweetness and dry woodiness, while the “burning pages” accord lingers around, creating a persistent "post war" atmospheric trail. The evolution remains relatively linear but shifts from sharp smoke to a more rounded, intimate vaguely milder warmth. A City On Fire is definitely a smoky, enigmatic fragrance that blends austere and desolating boldness with mossy intimacy. As soon as the juice opens by a striking burst of cade oil and smoky woods, it immediately evokes the scent of a bonfire or burning paper. The woody smokiness is anyway balanced by subtle spice as cardamom and by a whisper of milder labdanum. There's a dry, charred quality throughout, with a touch of sweetness that softens the edges without diluting the concept. The fictional atmospheric note of "burning pages" adds to its narrative aura, casting (on the side of smile and mossiness) the image of a sort of mysterious, rain-dampened city, the image of an industrial town in the heart of America surrounded by tall coniferous forests and with a large old steel factory on the edge. An unconventional woodsy/post-industrial fragrance, better suited for cooler weather by those who appreciate artful, story-driven perfumery. Performances are more than satisfactory on my skin.

Smelling this within the first few minutes of spraying it makes me think someone lathered on some Vicks VapoRub and then went to stand in front of a bonfire for an hour whilst occasionally chewing on a whole pickle. Or, it smells like burnt electronics. I can't decide.

Weird AF, imo. But it's a sample and this is a first time sniff. I wanted to give it a thumbs down, but it's too interesting to do that. Maybe it'll grow on me? ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Yes, it needs to grow on you. But I've very much liked testing A City On Fire. As much as anything, it's helped me realise something fundamental about smoke: it's always the smoke of something. As well as the odour of smoke itself, there's some materials behind it. And this is what I get from ACOF: the gestalt switch of smoke and actual, generative ingredients. Berries, balsams, wood, some incense are all there. I find it interesting, involving. If you like what you smell, you'll also be pleased by the long performance. Perhaps more rural than urban, but that's a mere detail.

I grew up camping around a fire. I grew up in a house with a wood burning fireplace. If you want to experience that smell, this is a great place to start. Yes, it's incredibly specific & can be loud if you spray more than twice. Yes, it's a bit one-note and very linear. But it's so wonderfully done, it doesn't smell synthetic to me, it lasts forever and you either like the smell or you don't. I happen to love it and I will wear it at least twice a week every winter month. Respect to those who don't like it, but to me this is one of those scents that is a memory in a bottle. And to me that is masterful perfumery.

Just a jarring burnt scent with a hint of booze. Not my type and I find it difficult to imagine that someone would think this is fragrant.

smoky and sweet. not matches burning, but huge logs. thick and slightly tar-like in the opening. after the top notes fade, it calms down into something wearable. it's quite sweet in a balsamic sort of way.

i can't stand the opening though. there's a screechy-sour note that smells exactly like a tire-fire. i've only smelled it once before in my life — when a dumpster full of tires caught in flame in west philadelphia and the thick, acrid smoke covered all of the city, even making its way indoors. the tire-fire burnt rubber note in the opening just ruins the fragrance for me, though i admire it on an intellectual level. i just don't really want to smell it.

the drydown, which is overwhelmingly sweet-smoky campfire, is fine (though it has a tinge of unwelcome acidity — like the acidity of bad coffee). overall, i'm glad this exists. i think it's cool. i can see how someone might like this, but that someone is not me.