Incredibly Strange Perfumes Pt.7 (The Smell of Music: Lounge/Exotica)

From Wikipedia...

Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it. The range of lounge music encompasses beautiful music-influenced instrumentals, modern electronica (with chillout, nu-jazz and downtempo influences), while remaining thematically focused on its retro-space-age cultural elements. The earliest type lounge music appeared during the 1920s and 1930s, and was known as light music. Contemporaneously, the term lounge music also denotes the types of music played in hotels (the lounge, the bar), casinos, and piano bars.

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune

I purchased Pumplelune in a big department store where they were selling a bunch of superknown perfumes for $10 and  $20 because their original boxes had been damaged in a warehouse accident. Tones of "unboxed" scents throwed in big baskets for you to choose. A funny picture of  dozens of people fighting  to get their own bottle of the latest Gucci or Dolce & Gabbana release for $10. While I was looking at all this as if were civil war or maybe a supermarket assault after a cataclism, I saw 2 unattended bottles on a side. I got closer to them and realized they were Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune and Herba Fresca. I rapidly grabbed them both and rushed to the counter. I wasn't expecting too much and actually I wasn't so curiosus about them, but for $20 I gave them a chance. 

Pamplelune is nice. Very realistic in the opening with a big dose of tart, freshly squeezed grapefruit joined by bitter green leaves. It rapidly turns sweeter and a bit warmer with clean musk, vanilla and a "shy" patchouli note. Unpretentious and honest. I won't consider it as an office fragrance  but I'll surely enjoy it in the summer after a day of work and a stone-cold shower.

Rating: 7.5-8/10

Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier Bahiana 

Bahiana is basically a woody citrus with some floral thrown in but, whereas other fragrances of the same genre tend to dry down to harsh and overly synthetic woody bases, this one smells extremely well balanced.

The usual woody-citrus structure is enriched by a remarkable tropical fruit vibe and slight clean-musky/ambery undertones. The fruity notes are photorealistic but, again, they smell so natural and sophisticated as opposed to the usual plasticky and sticky vibe I get from other fragrances with similar notes. Overall, Bahiana strikes as a modern composition but the srong heritage of Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier is clearly remarkable throughout and serves as a big plus to turn this fragrance in one of the best in this genre. If you're looking for a unisex summery fragrance that's easy to wear yet anything but dull, this is one to keep in consideration. Very nice.

Rating: 7/10

I Profumi Del Forte Tirrenico

I had a sample of Tirrenico a few monthes ago and, as I'm generally not into aquatic scents, I forgot it in a box. One day I was removing a few books from a shelf and I found the decant again so I gave it a try and I totally got suprised. Tirrenico is litterally amazing and stunning. No ozone bull***t here, but a real marine fragrance. IMO the only one really recalling the wet sand, marine wet woods and shells giving you the feeling of an exclusive, paradisiac beach. Floral patterns (mainly jasmine) and fruity hints provide sophisticated refinements. Great sillage and an amazing lasting power for an aquatic fragrance (10-12 hours). Another good point is the drydown. Many fragrances of the same genre tend to turn into a harsh chemical woody/amber. Tirrenico dries down to a clean musky/mossy base with fennel galore. Fresh throughout, pleasanly bizarre (the marine notes have a slightly stale vibe that may vaguely resemble Secretions Magnifique), anything but dull.

Obviously I immediately decided I needed bottle...and I got it! Together with Sel Marin, one of the very few "aquatic" fragrances that is worth owning.

Rating: 7/10

Comme Des Garcons White 

Another Comme Des Garcons I've been using for quite a while in the past. An extremely exotic concoction of cinnamon, other spices (a lot of) on a woody/floral/fruity base. The whole fragrance has the typical CDG's incensey signature, but here it's drastically toned down to intentionally become barely perceptible. It's more like an overall vibe than a real note/accord. 

Intense, important and very very (very) distinctive. One of the best and most influential compositions by Mr Buxton. A personal favorite!

Rating:8.5/10

Lush Inhale

Ok, first of all, this is weird! Unfortunately "weird" doesn't always mean successful. Inhale is an exotic mix of melony notes (read calone) and plasticky white florals laying on a sweet base. The fragrance has an overall synthetic (and sort of cacophonic) vibe that is as much appealing and exotic as contracting one of those rare diseases while visiting a tropical island. Me? I stick with the tsetse fly.

I can't believe this one paired with Exhale, gave birth to Breath Of God...

Rating: 4/10

Ulrich Lang Anvers 

Anvers opens with a fresh herbaceous accord immediately joined by honey and violet. The whole fragrance is made of a pleasant and gentle sweetness  as the honey note is cleverly freshened by herbs and surrounded by a tropical fruits feeling that make this fragrance quite distinctive. On the other hand I get a few "ordinary aspects" that made me think about  others generic mass market fragrances especially in the drydown where IMO Anvers lacks in personality. Overall this is a nice scent and quite an easywear. Nothing really necessary but if you're lucky you can find it for $20 at a discount store (as happened to me).

Rating: 6.5/10