Rock and Roll Has a Perfume To Love

Wow, Who Knew? The term rock ‘n’ roll derives not from music from the 1950s as many of us thought, but from the more literal ‘rocking and rolling’, of a ship. It was a phrase used by 17th-century sailors to describe the motion of a ship on the sea. It’s a bit of a long stretch towards its use when referring to music and fashion but it makes sense when you think of it as rhythmic movement from a boat in trouble. It was by the 1920s, that the term had become a popular metaphor for either dancing, sex, or spiritual fervour, but unlike other expressions of that time like “blanket hornpipe” and “making a lobster kettle”, “rocking and rolling” managed a second transition, this time from utter filth to well some form of ‘acceptance’ within musical worlds and fashion tribes. Find out more in Rock and Roll Has a Perfume To Love. Image on Left Norma Solomon

The origins of rock and roll are complex. Rock and roll emerged as a defined musical style in the United States in the early to mid-1950s and it saw the birth of the ‘teenager’. Although the term relates to marine history its more modern derivation is most directly from the rhythm and blues music of the 1940s, as well as earlier forms such as jump blues, boogie-woogie, up-tempo jazz, and swing music.

Left Chuck Berry

Mix in a bit of gospel, country and western, and traditional folk music, and there you have it. Throw in vibrant young people ripe for a new generation post-war and add a bit of a double entendre for extra edginess.

Alongside this music was the teenage spirit, with their perceived unhinged, wild energy disruptive behaviour and their codes of dress, which were used to clearly signify their ‘tribes’. Music and dress went hand in hand from the 1950s onwards. The teenager was born, free and here.

Publicity still of James Dean for the film Rebel Without a Cause

So if music is about personal statements then surely perfume is also about freedom and liberation, so does that make perfume the liquid version of Rock and Roll?

Music has notes and chords, just as perfume does, verse, bridge/hook and chorus are akin to top middle and base scent notes. Both are about composition, blended to perfection.

There are a few perfume brands that tie together music and scent. But a new brand brings not so much the musical side to scent, but the Rock and Roll spirit to perfumery.

Meet NOYZ a new fragrance brand with a rock and roll heart, launched at Harrods. Set to disrupt the perfect facade of the traditional fragrance industry and disrupt industry standards of perfection.

Crafting unique, expressive, long-lasting fragrances is all about using fragrance as a new dimension for self-expression with the power to explore and amplify the real person’s flaws and all the imperfections the messy; and unfiltered. 

“In an industry that has long been rooted in hyper-filtered fantasy, we saw a massive white space in the fragrance market for a brand rooted in realism. We feel more people will relate to our Sh**ty Day fragrance rather than doing a perfect hair flip with an 18-pack of abs or flawlessly riding a beautiful white horse in a magical meadow. Our goal is to create a brand that creates fragrances inspired by real storytelling”

Brand creator Shaun Neff,

A nod however was given to tradition by working with renowned senior perfumer, Jérôme Epinette, to develop the collection, which comprises four expressive, long-lasting fragrances. Epinette though has worked since 2003 with many niche perfume brands such as Byredo, Atelier Cologne, Vilhelm and Olfactive Studio.

So the four in the collection start with Love Club a Fruity/Floral/Woody scent which is described as Hypnotic and Alluring.

Using sustainably sourced ingredients the scent explodes at the top with Saffron, Sichuan Pepper, bright Italian Mandarin and vibrant Bergamot. A blast of floral fused with leather at its heart with Tuscan Leather, blooming Turkish Pink Rose, fresh fruit of Wild Raspberry. and earthy floral Violet. The finale finds ebony woods with whipped Marshmallow. It has a lightness and darkness and feels quite addictive.

Unmute comes next which is described as one for the rule breakers and those with a rebellious spirit. 

An opening of fruit and herby tones from Indonesian Cassia, Black Plum, Clary Sage, Ceylon Cinnamon and Almond and Vanilla facets from Pistachio. Its heart brings a woody smoky centre that offsets the top, with soft Cashmere Woods, Spanish Ciste and Somalian Incense. The scent warps up on a creamy Madagascar Vanilla and a Crisp Amber 

The third in the set of four is Lost and Found that fantastic emotion of the angst Rock and Roller.

A fresher cleaner scent that opens brightly with Italian Lemon and Australian Pink Pepper. Its heart unfolds to Jasmine Petals, fruity Rhubarb alongside Raspberry Blossom. The final is where Cedarwood Crisp Amber and Pink Sugar cascade.

Lastly in the set of the original perfumes comes Shitty days, and we all know that one.

An uplifting scent that starts off with green Eucalyptus Leaves, alongside an Ocean Air note with refreshing Coconut Water and bright Bergamot. A heart carries on the optimism with fruits and flowers that meld Salted Fig, Clary Sage, Blue Violet and French Lavender. To finally tie this scent together find Venezuelan Tonka Bean, Sea-Soaked Woods, Baltic Amber and Cedarwood. A perfume to spray and reset. 

Now were that not enough, the brand had collaborated on a fifth fragrance. The Harrods collection will include an exclusive fragrance featuring celebrity photographer Damon Baker, showcasing the perfume “Monochrome” alongside an exclusive set featuring a journal adorned with Damon’s photography. The perfume and gift set will be available at Harrods £150. 

Monochrome is a Floral, Woody fusion. Dancing within the balance of light and dark. Think of the art term Chiaroscuro, the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. Here, this scent is built with the complexities of fresh citrus against bittersweet Coffee, sweet Patchouli, and dark Musk. 

“The vision for Monochrome was being open with myself, creating a love letter to everything that I’ve been through and what other people go through. Monochrome tells all the stories as one. It’s not too light, it’s not too dark. It’s a beautiful balance of everything,”

Damon Baker

In line with NOYZ’s mission to smell good, do better, each bottle features a threaded neck that is made to be disassembled and recycled. With most fragrance bottles being made from glass, the standard “crimped neck” makes these components difficult to recycle, and the house is combatting this with its signature design. The unconventional and purposely off-kilter design reflects the brand’s overarching theme of not conforming to society’s standards and celebrates individuality. 

All the scents are formulated without parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes, and animal byproducts and all scents are certified vegan through the global organisation 

As a company, they champion building a fragrance wardrobe, switching up scents based on every mood, layering and mixing it up to create something that is unique to the very core of each person. Each of the fragrances are genderless and named as relatable experiences.

An authenticity of spirit is what all rock and rollers want, and now this spirit is enclosed in your personal bottle.

Available at Harrods as a global retail partner and their site noyz.com

If you enjoyed reading Rock and Roll Has a Perfume To Love then why not read Open Ended films We Love Here

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