Reviews of A City On Fire by Imaginary Authors
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)_/¯
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)_/¯
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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.
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.
I disagree with a lot of the initial reactions to this fragrance. If you really wear it and let it develop and unfold, you'll experience the complexity of this well built fragrance. I even wore it to the office today. I was conservative with application, as one should be in close quarters and professional settings. Nobody should be afraid to wear complex fragrances during the work day. If I had to forgo this for a crowd pleaser, I'd be bummed, and bored. The aromatic quality of this fragrance, with whatever sweetness is lurking in the background is carrying me through the day. The smoke has faded to a narrative which ties the theme together, and while it's often the protagonist, as things unfold it's one in a cast of characters.
Bought the Short Story Collection and made the mistake of testing this one first. I was very curious about this scent because I kind of like the smell of burning matches.
However, this scent was really acrid and bitter to me, and absolutely overpowering— like a bonfire, but a really gross bonfire. I’m sure it could work for someone, but that someone is not me. Didn’t fully come off my skin after I washed my hands, so if you’re looking for a high-performing fragrance, this is it.
However, this scent was really acrid and bitter to me, and absolutely overpowering— like a bonfire, but a really gross bonfire. I’m sure it could work for someone, but that someone is not me. Didn’t fully come off my skin after I washed my hands, so if you’re looking for a high-performing fragrance, this is it.
"The entire city is burning
You can see the flames like the inside of a mad jukebox
Lost boys stalk the streets with those jungle markings on their chests
Barbarians prowl in shadows, their heads rocking with rodents
Motorcycles reproduce in nocturnal alleys groaning with greasy pleasure
And they've blown up the YWCA like a giant balloon
And sent it out to sea full of screaming, lovely, lonely girls"
- Jim Steinman
You can see the flames like the inside of a mad jukebox
Lost boys stalk the streets with those jungle markings on their chests
Barbarians prowl in shadows, their heads rocking with rodents
Motorcycles reproduce in nocturnal alleys groaning with greasy pleasure
And they've blown up the YWCA like a giant balloon
And sent it out to sea full of screaming, lovely, lonely girls"
- Jim Steinman
My favorite of the forest/campfire scents, comparing it to Bois d'Ascese and By The Fireplace it's more energetic and has a feeling of urban nighttime.
I was frightened to try this one on, because, overcurious, I sprayed it in the air immediately upon opening, and instantly regretted it as the smell of barbequed pork surrounded me- frightened to the point where I put this on at night, for fear that I might have lingering traces of barbecue about me all day.
But the opening to this on skin was surprisingly sweeter than I expected, fruitiness with a hint of smoke in the background. The smoke becomes much more prominent as the fragrance develops, but it seems balanced with dark fruit and hints of cardamom. I don't want to describe it as a bonfire- I've been to many bonfires, and know their scent- there's sort of a resin scent, a coldness about it that doesn't fit- but the barbecue that I worried about doesn't actually appear at all on skin. The closest thing I could compare it to would be violin rosin. Smoke becomes far more prominent in the drydown, but is never overbearing.
But the opening to this on skin was surprisingly sweeter than I expected, fruitiness with a hint of smoke in the background. The smoke becomes much more prominent as the fragrance develops, but it seems balanced with dark fruit and hints of cardamom. I don't want to describe it as a bonfire- I've been to many bonfires, and know their scent- there's sort of a resin scent, a coldness about it that doesn't fit- but the barbecue that I worried about doesn't actually appear at all on skin. The closest thing I could compare it to would be violin rosin. Smoke becomes far more prominent in the drydown, but is never overbearing.
Smells sorta like burning sage. I could draw a parralell to other ultra smoky burning fragrances, like TRex. I feel like Trex does it better, with some leather and burning plastic thing. This one smells more like bonfire residue. Less industrial. If you ever went to bonfires, then went home, that smell that your clothes and shoes have the next day is the smell of this fragrance. It comes on strong, with a nose searing blast, but settles in to just very strong.
This literally smells like the charred remains of a burned object. It gets stronger and projects more and more as each 30 seconds ticks by.
Eventually I had to wash it off, but afterwards, I could still smell it ever so slightly if I put my nose right up to my skin...and there was a faint, faint smell of leftover campfire that was not unpleasant! I felt kind of compelled to keep smelling it. However, I could not handle the intense smoke at the beginning. I think this is more of an experience scent than a wearable one.
Eventually I had to wash it off, but afterwards, I could still smell it ever so slightly if I put my nose right up to my skin...and there was a faint, faint smell of leftover campfire that was not unpleasant! I felt kind of compelled to keep smelling it. However, I could not handle the intense smoke at the beginning. I think this is more of an experience scent than a wearable one.
This is definitely one of the most interesting fragrances I've tried but not the most wearable. I do get the connections to Zoologist T-Rex, both have a ton going on. The beginning of A City on Fire is quite harsh. Thick black smoke, almost the burnt-bacon smell of creosote from a wood-stove chimney. It settles down a bit after an hour and is then reminiscent of how your clothing smells after hours sitting in front of a campfire.
Neither of those two scents really grab me but the drydown is where it gets more pleasant. A sweetness creeps in just a little that mellows things, maybe from the dark berries. It also doesn't really project, which is good given how harsh it can be. But this leaves that pleasant drydown too soft. If it smelled like the drydown the whole time I'd enjoy wearing it, but as it stands it's not something I'm after. Definitely sample if you can though.
Neither of those two scents really grab me but the drydown is where it gets more pleasant. A sweetness creeps in just a little that mellows things, maybe from the dark berries. It also doesn't really project, which is good given how harsh it can be. But this leaves that pleasant drydown too soft. If it smelled like the drydown the whole time I'd enjoy wearing it, but as it stands it's not something I'm after. Definitely sample if you can though.
Not wild about this one (and I say that as someone who likes smoke in perfume).
Slightly one dimensional with a sweetness that I found a little unpleasant. It's not terrible, but there's better out there in this style.
Slightly one dimensional with a sweetness that I found a little unpleasant. It's not terrible, but there's better out there in this style.
The last vestiges of a fire, the end with the embers and that trail of smoke.
The opening is very harsh but it quickly simmers down.
Honestly, what sprung to mind was, of all things, on the Disney World Epcot ride Spaceship Earth when the ride comes to the part about the burning embers of Rome and the ride perfectly captures....well a burning city scent piped in, A City on Fire has taken that and made it wearable and delectable.
This is not a scent for oversprayers and I found two good sprays plenty. Great longevity. I'm not one for smoky perfumes, but there is something with A City on Fire that keeps my attention almost rapturous and coming back for more. The concept and the execution amazes me and I love it.
The opening is very harsh but it quickly simmers down.
Honestly, what sprung to mind was, of all things, on the Disney World Epcot ride Spaceship Earth when the ride comes to the part about the burning embers of Rome and the ride perfectly captures....well a burning city scent piped in, A City on Fire has taken that and made it wearable and delectable.
This is not a scent for oversprayers and I found two good sprays plenty. Great longevity. I'm not one for smoky perfumes, but there is something with A City on Fire that keeps my attention almost rapturous and coming back for more. The concept and the execution amazes me and I love it.
A real campfire, wood-stove smell. It's large, in your face. Pure smoke. Cough. Cough. A slight rubber tire note. Highly chemically-processed, cheap leather accord.
I thought I would really love this, from the note list. It's a bit too woody; a bit too manly. After some time the smoke begins to clear. I get some sweetness from berries or something. A bit of conifer latter, too. Not bad. Not a daily wear scent.
2 and a half stars.
I thought I would really love this, from the note list. It's a bit too woody; a bit too manly. After some time the smoke begins to clear. I get some sweetness from berries or something. A bit of conifer latter, too. Not bad. Not a daily wear scent.
2 and a half stars.
Loud, buttery and burning wood in the smokey opening that really doesn't change much through the drydown.
Really good projection and decent longevity.
Really good projection and decent longevity.
To me, it doesn't smell that much like a burning fire, but more of a fire that has just ended. It's probably the most smoky perfume I've tried yet. It's bitter and oily and as it progresses, aromatic and spicy notes start to appear while the smoke dials down a bit. Here is where it also gets sweet and it reminds me of the way clothes smell after I've stood a long period near a fire; like smelling up close a sweater which blends the smoke with the perfume caught from the body.
After about 3 hours, it stays close to the skin and the sweetness reaches high levels, it gets resinous and has an amber quality. I could say that it has become more wearable, but I actually liked more the extreme smoke paired with the spicy aromatic notes from the start.
After about 3 hours, it stays close to the skin and the sweetness reaches high levels, it gets resinous and has an amber quality. I could say that it has become more wearable, but I actually liked more the extreme smoke paired with the spicy aromatic notes from the start.
You're making a fire with your loved ones. Logs in the fireplace for a night in, or wild branches from the woods for a campfire, or thick trunks for a huge bonfire on the farm. You're transfixed by the flames, with crickets and cicadas thrushing in the distance and the woodsmoke passing over you as the winds change. You hear the pops and crackles and chase the flying embers with your gaze. Your wife cuddles you on the couch and you can faintly smell the last moments of that berry cologne she put on that morning. Your grandparents open up some homemade berry pies over on the park bench at the campsite. Your friends and family pass around fresh berries that they picked that morning on the farm. Before you know it, it's the next day and you're waking early. You can't help but bury your nose into those warm clothes that you had fallen asleep in, and you're left smiling at the lingering woodsmoke as you remember the intimate moments from the night before. A City On Fire by Imaginary Authors.
Greetings
Sharp.. smoky... spicy.... thick/smoky.....did I mention smoky??
The opening "cuts" the inside of my nasal mucosa with tiny (sharp) smoky molecules.
As they (the molecules) drift beyond the cribiform plate.. they are instantly realized and assimilated by 2 olfactory bulbs ; (which are actually extensions of the brain) & are then "recognized" and "categorized" by yet another area of the brain called the stomach. ;-)
Some scents/aromas at times, beg the question- "hey...what's cookin?"
Which is exactly what I ask myself every time I wear this fragrance!
I'll tell you what's cookin...
-Mostly hotdogs (big fan)
-Cheeseburgers
-Chicken (with Saucy Suzan)
-S'mores....anything I've ever had cooked over a roaring open campfire.
As a child we camped a lot. So, the aroma of this fragrance , which is such a glorious menagerie of assorted smoky vibes ...reminds me of pork hotdogs! Lol.
Try as I might... I can't eliminate the memory of hot dogs ect.. cooking over old open campfires every time I wear this creative frag, WHICH SUCKS CUZ ITS AMAZING!!!!
To be clear, this is definitely NOT a gourmand. It's a memory thing for me... Nothing more. But I'm working on new memories.
On my skin... Very good silage and projection.. 3-4 hrs before getting closer but never a skin scent.
There is a quality in here that captivates me (hot dogs aside). It's a tad bitter. Thick. Woodsy. I'm drawn to my arm like a moth to a flame.
Even a bit of clove?? (Something in there's giving me a touch of that. Spikenard?? )
Never cloying and that's with 6-7 hours of longevity. Mind you.. I like this one from IA.. Not as much as some of the others I own...but still creative and very interesting.
Great for fans of that smoky campfire genre...
and hotdogs.
7 out of 10
Sharp.. smoky... spicy.... thick/smoky.....did I mention smoky??
The opening "cuts" the inside of my nasal mucosa with tiny (sharp) smoky molecules.
As they (the molecules) drift beyond the cribiform plate.. they are instantly realized and assimilated by 2 olfactory bulbs ; (which are actually extensions of the brain) & are then "recognized" and "categorized" by yet another area of the brain called the stomach. ;-)
Some scents/aromas at times, beg the question- "hey...what's cookin?"
Which is exactly what I ask myself every time I wear this fragrance!
I'll tell you what's cookin...
-Mostly hotdogs (big fan)
-Cheeseburgers
-Chicken (with Saucy Suzan)
-S'mores....anything I've ever had cooked over a roaring open campfire.
As a child we camped a lot. So, the aroma of this fragrance , which is such a glorious menagerie of assorted smoky vibes ...reminds me of pork hotdogs! Lol.
Try as I might... I can't eliminate the memory of hot dogs ect.. cooking over old open campfires every time I wear this creative frag, WHICH SUCKS CUZ ITS AMAZING!!!!
To be clear, this is definitely NOT a gourmand. It's a memory thing for me... Nothing more. But I'm working on new memories.
On my skin... Very good silage and projection.. 3-4 hrs before getting closer but never a skin scent.
There is a quality in here that captivates me (hot dogs aside). It's a tad bitter. Thick. Woodsy. I'm drawn to my arm like a moth to a flame.
Even a bit of clove?? (Something in there's giving me a touch of that. Spikenard?? )
Never cloying and that's with 6-7 hours of longevity. Mind you.. I like this one from IA.. Not as much as some of the others I own...but still creative and very interesting.
Great for fans of that smoky campfire genre...
and hotdogs.
7 out of 10
This is a very interesting scent!
I love the smoke and if you are looking for a "campfire", this is truly it! While it doesn't have the longevity for me, I am excited to experiment with this as a layered scent this fall and winter!
Having tried most of the line at this point, I can say this is not comparable to my nose of any of Josh's current offerings; it truly stands on its own and I am thrilled! It has some connections to Slumberhouse's Norne and to House of Matriarch's Blackbird, but it really is its own scent - and I will more than likely purchase a full bottle.
Oh, just to add, I'm a woman...so even though this is marked "masculine", I think it can go either way - I will be sharing this with my husband, though. Sharing is caring.
I love the smoke and if you are looking for a "campfire", this is truly it! While it doesn't have the longevity for me, I am excited to experiment with this as a layered scent this fall and winter!
Having tried most of the line at this point, I can say this is not comparable to my nose of any of Josh's current offerings; it truly stands on its own and I am thrilled! It has some connections to Slumberhouse's Norne and to House of Matriarch's Blackbird, but it really is its own scent - and I will more than likely purchase a full bottle.
Oh, just to add, I'm a woman...so even though this is marked "masculine", I think it can go either way - I will be sharing this with my husband, though. Sharing is caring.
I think this is the best thing Josh Meyer has done yet. I own many smokey fragrances, and this one manages to balance the line between being undeniably smokey but also nuanced enough to smell like a personal fragrance and not simply like burning wood. It's extremely wearable. Some of the other smokey fragrances I love, like Fumidus and Jeke, can be a bit challenging in their severity. This one is much more friendly and approachable. It should definitely be a must try for anyone who is interested in the smokey genre.
Like wearing olympic's woodcut in reverse. Smoky, charred wood in the beginning, fading to a pleasantly mild and very slightly sweet drydown of berries and labdanum. Unexpected, aggressively confident, and rather clever. Listed as masculine but I think I'm pulling it off fairly well ;)