By Thomas
When Iggy and the Stooges released Raw Power, the album was a hit (at least by Iggy’s standards), but stories about the production flowed forth as the album was reviewed, discussed, and eventually put on a number of ‘best of-‘ lists. The main points of the story go like this: Iggy recorded the tracks, David Bowie mastered them for a fuller, richer sound, and then Iggy himself un-mastered everything as they went to pressing. The result was a sound with immediacy, a ferocious attack, a record that barked at you.
So we have Black Tourmaline, which is an incense-based scent that treads the middle ground between being lean (the anti-Guerlain, if you will), and being rough-hewn. I can’t discern any of the classic basenotes here – no vanilla, no musk, no leather, no amber – and the lack of this makes Black Tourmaline rather bracing and sharp-edged. Is it, however, strangely smooth in execution. No stray notes or splinters to be found here; it smells of polished edges.
What does Black Tourmaline smell like? I won’t bother with a progression because I haven’t thus far been able to discern a progression. It’s old oak fireplace, frankincense, and myrrhe. Spices linger here and there, black pepper, cardamom, and fennel, perhaps. All of it, though, is bone-dry: nothing oily or fleshy or powdery here.
Over time, Black Tourmaline loses a bit of sharpness, still a dry woody-incense without quite as much peppery spices. It’s less aggressive after lunchtime, a tad easier-wearing. This reminds me of Yatagan, stripped of the pine needles, and nothing animalic/leathery that I can discern.
That said, I respect Black Tourmaline, but don’t want to wear it. It’s a struggle for me to like this scent: it’s coldly impersonal and uninviting. Like the Easter Island statues, except cut out of onyx and with extra-sharp edges. If you thought Yatagan was standoffish, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Year: 2007
Notes: Cardamom, Coriander, Cumin, Frankincense, Pepper, Smoked Wood, Oud, Leater, Precious Woods, Musk, Amber, Moss, Patchouli
Is it sad that I had to google Iggy & The Stooges?
ReplyDeleteShame.
Thomas, I agree (thoroughly). Black Tourmaline is a well-constructed, intelligent piece of work that nonetheless leaves me cold.
ReplyDeleteI want to wear it and appreciate it because it has all the proper earmarks of something that I should wear and appreciate, but I just . . . can't.
Rock Crystal is my favorite of the Durbanos; unfortunately, it's not the one I purchased.
Dane: Not so much - I tread a bit in the lightly-beaten musical paths. Although 'Search and Destroy' was in a Nike ad a few years back, you might recognize that song. Now if you hear it and think Black Tourmaline...you should probably seek help.
ReplyDeleteNathan: I'm glad you mentioned that it leaves you cold. I always considered woody/spicy/incense notes to have 'warmth' to them - smoke, fire and heat are common to all of these (well, to a point), but Durbano took these ingredients and rendered them in black-and-white, stripping them of any warmth.
Intellectually it's interesting how he got such an effect, but in reality it's like Harlow's wire mother: I'm not compelled to form an attachment to it.
Add me to the count. I was so impressed by Black Tourmaline when I first tried it that I went right out an bought a bottle. Then I went for months without finding any occasion when I'd actually want to wear it. The bottle is now gone.
ReplyDeleteAndrew - that's a good point...it's not often that I pull a bottle or decant and think: today I want to smell utterly cold and impersonal to everyone who crosses my path.
ReplyDeleteHey Thomas,
ReplyDeleteI don;t know if you have tried Montale's Greyland but alot of the things you said about Black Tourmaline I've heard the same about Greyland that its a fragrance that evokes a sense of dull gray rainy days. Not that its a bad smelling fragrance its just as you said very cold and impersonal.
I have not tried Black tourmaline but given that I do like Greyland I think I will like it.
Rick: I've never tried Greyland, but it sounds like a double-whammy for me: first it's described as cold and impersonal, and second it's a Montale.
ReplyDeleteThat said...I don't know that BT is quite as melancholy as you make Greyland sound. For instance, I have no trouble listening to Erik Satie because sometimes I can attach to and identify with a melancholy mood, but at least there's something there. BT just doesn't have a mood I can discern or attach to. Anyway, I hope it works for you if you do try it!