Alkemia

Violin, Clarinet, Piano

A collaboration with Alkemia Perfumes

Commissioned by the Oasi Trio

2019

Thanks to the Oasi Trio for commissioning and touring this work, and to Sharra of Alkemia for providing olfactory inspiration! Titles and descriptions by Alkemia Perfumes:

0:00 I. Deux Ex Machina

An olfactory portrait of industrial decay and the fallen gods of age of disruption, innovation, and technological revolution... fire hardened steel, rusted iron, motor oil, wet cement, burnt copper wires, and grey amber.

4:56 II. Book of Shadows

A biblichor of eldritch books - heavy parchment paper, ancient iron oak gall ink, crumbling leather bindings, and wafts of rare incenses.

8:29 III. Center of the Universe

In a vast dust cloud at the center of the Milky Way there is an abundance of ethyl formate, a simple aliphatic ester found in the aroma of rum and raspberries. To these elements, we’ve added notes from astronauts’ descriptions of the smell of their suits when they return from space walks - freshly welded metal, gun powder, seared steak in an iron pan, burnt almond cookies, charcoal, and ozone.

12:28 IV. Cyanide

Creamy oleander blossoms, absinthe liqueur, iron-distilled patchouli, and the bitter almond aroma of cyanide.

15:33 V. Stag Moon

A shapeshifting blend of staghorn fern; deerstongue leaves; rum infused maple, birch, and cedar woods; oak moss, autumn musk, clove buds, autumn leaves, deerhide leather, and woodsmoke.