I don’t know which filmmaker did it first but the slow motion explosion has become a staple of moviemaking. Part of what makes it so interesting is seen in real-time an explosion is a second or less worth of flash and boom. Slowed down on film it is many seconds of flash with no soundtrack. What is so interesting about seeing an explosion in slow motion is you see the expansion of the flame, the whorls curling and expanding as it almost hypnotically draws you in. What I have always enjoyed about seeing fast things slowed down is the underpinning that is on display to something you can’t see with a human eye. All of these thoughts came to me as I tried the new Imaginary Authors Slow Explosions.
Owner and perfumer Josh Meyer saw Slow Explosions as an elaboration to last summer’s limited release An Air of Despair. In particular he wanted to expand, or explode, the saffron into a more typical Imaginary Authors release. An Air of Despair was an atypical perfume from Mr. Meyer; Slow Explosions is another in the line of complex compositions more endemic to the collection.
Josh Meyer
One of the things I always enjoy about an Imaginary Authors release is the imaginary author Mr. Meyer comes up with. This time it is Gwen K. Vroomen who in 1980 threw a dart at a world map and left her job to go to the place the point of the dart pierced; Goa. Slow Explosions is her journey to Goa and her “Journey out of darkness” summarized thusly as, “I was lost, aimless, and depressed. Now I’m only two of those things.”
To capture his author Mr. Meyer uses a mélange of south Asian spices but as mentioned above the saffron is most important. It is wrapped in rose and leather to keep one wondering which of the adjectives for Ms. Vroomen was improved.
Slow Explosions starts with the spice market vibe as hints of curries and cumin are rapidly overwhelmed by a large dose of saffron. As I’ve recently learned saffron in this concentration carries a leathery quality which makes it a great partner to a leather accord. Before Mr. Meyer rolls out his leather accord a really jammy rose absolute first makes its presence known with the spices. The slightly sweet rose is also contrasted with a peek-a-boo note of apple. The apple seems to be an olfactory illusion at times. All of the trickery is washed away with the arrival of the leather. This is biker jacket leather well-cared for and oiled. The saffron adds a kind of botanical leather as texture. A bit of benzoin and cashmeran provide a conventional foundation.
Slow Explosions has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
On the days I wore Slow Explosions I found it to be a fragrance which rewarded my attention throughout the day. When I tried it on a strip it was saffron, rose, and leather. On my skin much of the other supporting notes become detectable making it seem as if my wearing it was looking inside the Big Bang on the strip in slow motion so I could see everything going on. There is much to see and after wearing Slow Explosions I was neither lost, aimless, or depressed; I was happy.
Disclosure: This review was based on a bottle provided by Imaginary Authors.
–Mark Behnke
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