Strange Days
Synesthesie Strange Days is an ambery-woody fragrance built for long nights in the city. Francesco Perini blends sharp calamus and labdanum with a dense core of Egyptian jasmine and Moroccan rose, wrapped in heavy incense. The finish is a rich, resinous mix of Egyptian balsam, ambergris, and oud, making it a sophisticated choice for fall and winter wear.
Similar Suggestions
BETAFragrances with the nearest note and performance profile.
For more in-depth suggestions.
Performance Metrics
0 VOTESOpen Performance Breakdown 1 TAKE
This fragrance lasts between eight and ten hours on skin. It projects at an arm's length for the first three hours before settling into a persistent balsamic bubble. It performs best in temperatures below fifty degrees Fahrenheit.
Notes Pyramid
Search these notesChoose where each note belongs.
Strange Days is a dense, atmospheric woody oriental that feels both cold and burning. It centers on a smoky incense heart wrapped in dry cinnamon and sharp cypress. The texture is resinous and slightly oily, moving from a crisp, green opening into a thick, balsamic base of oud and ambergris. It captures the smell of a winter night in an urban sprawl.
Main Accords
9 MAPPEDThe amber and warm spicy accords do the heavy lifting here. On skin, the initial citrus and green sharpness fades quickly, allowing the cinnamon to heat up the incense. It feels dry and smoky at first, but as the Egyptian balsam and benzoin melt with your body heat, it turns syrupy and resinous. The oud stays in the background, providing a woody backbone without becoming overly funky or animalic.
Community Data
18 TOTAL VOTESCOMMUNITY SENTIMENT
OWNERSHIP STATS
GENDER APPEAL
REVIEW SENTIMENT
When to Wear
TAP TO VOTETIME OF DAY · TAP TO VOTE
OCCASIONS · TAP TO VOTE
It looks easiest to wear in fall and winter. The vote picture leans most toward daytime.
Pros & Cons
Quick take before you sampleWHY PEOPLE MAY LIKE IT
Exceptional longevity lasting over ten hours on most skin types.
Unique use of calamus provides a crisp, unusual green opening.
High-quality Egyptian balsam creates a rich, syrupy dry down.
Perfect for cold weather and evening events in the city.
Moody incense profile that avoids smelling like a typical church.
Strong projection that stays consistent for the first three hours.
Complex transition from sharp greens to warm, spicy resins.
Beautifully blended cinnamon note that adds warmth without being gourmand.
The oud is smooth and woody rather than barnyard or funky.
Great for people who want a dark, atmospheric signature scent.
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
The opening can feel a bit medicinal or harsh to some.
High price point for a relatively new niche fragrance brand.
Too heavy and resinous for high heat or humid climates.
The calamus note is polarizing and might smell like bitter grass.
Not suitable for those who prefer fresh, clean, or soapy scents.
It can be overwhelming in small, enclosed office spaces.
The bottle design is minimal, which might not appeal to everyone.
Requires skin testing as the resins react strongly to body heat.
The floral notes of rose and jasmine are very subtle.
Might feel too serious or dark for casual daytime wear.
Fragranxe Review
EDITORIAL“Synesthesie Strange Days: An Urban Incense Masterpiece for Cold Nights”
Strange Days opens with a bracing, almost metallic chill that catches you off guard. The combination of cypress and calamus creates a sharp, green atmosphere that feels like a cold wind blowing through a concrete alley. Bitter orange adds a zesty, slightly industrial edge rather than a sweet fruitiness. This initial stage is crisp and demanding, setting a serious tone that avoids the usual citrus-heavy openings of most unisex fragrances. It is a bold start that prioritizes mood over mass appeal.
As the initial sharpness of the cypress begins to settle, a dry, smoky heart of incense rises to the surface. This is where the fragrance finds its core identity. The incense here is not the dusty, ecclesiastical variety. Instead, it feels modern and urban, softened by a generous dose of warm cinnamon. The spice adds a necessary heat that balances the cold start. You begin to feel the texture of the scent change from a thin liquid to a thicker, more resinous oil on your skin.
The floral heart of Egyptian jasmine and Moroccan rose is remarkably restrained. Do not expect a traditional bouquet here. These notes function more like a clean, soft undercurrent that prevents the incense and cinnamon from becoming too aggressive. They provide a subtle, creamy roundness that allows the fragrance to breathe. On my skin, the rose is particularly elusive, showing up as a faint, velvety sweetness only after the first hour of wear. It is a clever use of florals to add depth without changing the woody direction.
The dry down is where Strange Days truly earns its name. The base is a dense, sticky combination of Egyptian balsam, benzoin, and oud. It is deeply resinous and feels heavy on the skin, like a weighted blanket of scent. The oud is clean and woody, lacking any animalic funk, but it provides a sturdy foundation for the sweet, ambery benzoin. Ambergris adds a salty, skin-like quality that keeps the resins from feeling too cloying. It is a long, slow fade that remains rich for several hours.
Performance is a standout feature for this 2025 release. I found that three sprays easily lasted through a ten-hour day, with the scent still clinging to my jacket the following morning. The sillage is significant during the first few hours, creating a noticeable bubble of smoke and spice. It eventually settles into an intimate but very persistent balsamic glow. This is a fragrance built for the cold, as the heavy resins need a bit of body heat to truly unfurl and project.
Synesthesie has delivered a compelling atmospheric piece with Strange Days. Francesco Perini has successfully rendered the tension between a cold city and the warm secrets hidden within it. While the opening might be too medicinal for some, the transition into the spicy, balsamic heart is well handled. It is a serious, sophisticated scent for someone who wants to stand out without being loud. If you value longevity and enjoy the darker side of woody orientals, this is a bottle worth sampling.
FAQs
What does Synesthesie Strange Days smell like?+
Strange Days opens with a cold, green sharpness from cypress and calamus before a heavy heart of incense and cinnamon takes over. It eventually settles into a dense, balsamic base of oud and Egyptian balsam. The overall effect is smoky, woody, and resinous, resembling the smell of a dark urban street during a cold winter evening.
How long does Strange Days last on skin?+
This fragrance offers exceptional longevity, typically lasting between eight and ten hours on the skin. Because it is built on a heavy base of resins like benzoin, oud, and Egyptian balsam, it persists much longer on clothing. It is a high-performance scent that remains noticeable through an entire evening or a long workday.
Is this fragrance suitable for the office?+
Strange Days might be too polarizing and heavy for a traditional office environment. The incense and oud projection is quite strong for the first three hours. It is better suited for open spaces, evening events, or creative settings where a moody and sophisticated woody oriental profile feels more appropriate than in a small cubicle.
What are the dominant notes in the opening?+
The opening is defined by a sharp, slightly medicinal combination of cypress, calamus, and bitter orange. Unlike many fragrances that lead with sweet citrus, this starts with a bracing, green chill. Labdanum quickly adds a leathery undertone that prepares the way for the smoky incense heart that follows after about fifteen minutes of wear.
Does the oud note smell animalic?+
The oud in Strange Days is clean and woody rather than funky or barnyard. It provides a sturdy, dark foundation that anchors the spicy cinnamon and sweet benzoin. While it adds significant depth and a slightly oily texture to the dry down, it remains approachable for those who are new to oud-based fragrances.
Which season is best for wearing this scent?+
This is a quintessential fall and winter fragrance. The density of the Egyptian balsam and the warmth of the cinnamon perform best in cold air. In high heat or humidity, the balsamic resins can feel too thick and cloying. It is designed to cut through the chill of a freezing urban night.
Is Strange Days a masculine or feminine fragrance?+
Strange Days is a true unisex fragrance that avoids traditional gender markers. It lacks the heavy sweetness of many feminine perfumes and the sharp lavender of many masculine colognes. The balance of smoke, spice, and wood makes it an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys dark, atmospheric, and resinous compositions.
How does the incense behave in the dry down?+
The incense remains present throughout the life of the fragrance but shifts in character. Initially, it is smoky and dry, but as it enters the dry down, it blends with the benzoin and Egyptian balsam. This creates a syrupy, almost liturgical sweetness that feels warm and comforting on the skin after several hours.
Can I wear this fragrance in the summer?+
While you can wear it in the summer, it is not recommended for daytime use in the heat. The heavy ambery and woody accords can become overwhelming when mixed with sweat and high temperatures. If you must wear it in July, save it for a heavily air-conditioned evening event where the smoke can breathe.
Is this a good choice for a blind buy?+
No, Strange Days is not a safe blind buy because of its polarizing calamus and cypress opening. The medicinal, sharp start can be a challenge for those used to safer designers. It is a prime candidate for sampling first to see how the heavy Egyptian balsam and oud react with your specific skin chemistry.
Rankings
Full rankingsWear Diary
0 COMMUNITY WEAR LOGSKeep sprays, longevity, weather, and compliments in one practical log.
Sign in to keep private wear notes.
Compliment Signal
FROM WEAR LOGSReviews
No owner review yet. You can be the first.
Dupes & Alternatives
COMMUNITY DUPESCOREWhile no direct clones exist for this new release, it sits in the same neighborhood as Comme des Garcons Series 3 Kyoto or Amouage Epic Man. If you find the oud too heavy, you might prefer Diptyque Tam Dao. For those who want more spice and less smoke, Tauer L'Air du Desert Marocain offers a similar resinous heat.
No User submitted dupes yet. The first useful DupeScore can come from your community.
Live questions about Strange Days
Ask one quick question and let the community weigh in while it is live.
No live pulse yet.
Trusted Sellers
Community-submitted stores that regular buyers trust, by country.
No trusted sellers added for this fragrance yet.
Where to Sample
Discovery sets, official samples, and trusted decants.
No sample or decant options shared for this fragrance yet.