Groove Xcape by Xerjoff: a perfume you can hear
What does a music producer do when asked to design a perfume? He starts by recording the bottles. Spraying, swirling, clinking: Max Casacci, co-founder of the Italian band Subsonica, built an entire track from exactly these sounds. The fragrance that goes with it is called Groove Xcape, comes from Xerjoff in Turin and smells the way a deep bassline feels: spicy, resinous, warm.
- Groove Xcape is a parfum from Xerjoff’s “Blends” line, in which the house works with artists from other disciplines.
- The partner is Max Casacci, musician, producer and co-founder of the Turin band Subsonica.
- Fragrance family: spicy-resinous, unisex. Cardamom, pepper, elemi and ginger meet frankincense, myrrh, rose and mimosa over cedarwood, labdanum, benzoin and patchouli.
- At 4D OUTFITTERS you can buy Groove Xcape online and in our boutique in Bregenz.
Who is behind Groove Xcape?
On one side there is Sergio Momo. He founded Xerjoff in Turin in 2007 and is still the creative mind behind the brand. On the other side there is Max Casacci, guitarist, producer and sound tinkerer. For some years now he has been making music almost entirely from noises he records in nature and in the city.
For the “Blends” line, Xerjoff invites people from other arts into the lab. With Groove Xcape the idea was a game of ping-pong: the sound inspired the scent, and the scent inspired the sound.
A perfume with its own soundtrack
Casacci composed “Groove X-capes (An XJ Perfume flacon)” using nothing but the sounds of Xerjoff bottles. The track appeared on his album Urban Groovescapes (Earthphonia II), and the video was made by Italian artist Donato Sansone. A perfume you can actually listen to.
What does Groove Xcape smell like?
The opening is sharp and lively: cardamom, pepper, ginger and elemi, a lemony resin from the Philippines.
The heart turns ceremonial. Frankincense and myrrh bring the mystical side, rose and mimosa add warmth and a soft, powdery glow.
The base is a dark carpet of cedarwood, labdanum, benzoin and patchouli. This is where the “groove” lives: deep, resinous and long-lasting.
Groove Xcape is explicitly made for women and men. It is at its best on cooler days and in the evening, when resins and spices have room to breathe.
Resinous scents need very little. Two or three sprays on the neck and wrists are enough. More in our 10 tips on how to apply perfume. Feeling adventurous? Layer a fresh citrus underneath and Groove Xcape becomes a daytime scent; see our 20 tips for perfume layering.
Curiosities around Groove Xcape
Things you probably didn’t know
- Labdanum from a goat’s beard
Labdanum, one of the base notes, is the resin of the rockrose. Around 2,500 years ago the Greek historian Herodotus described how it was gathered from the beards of billy goats that had brushed through the sticky shrubs.
- Elemi comes from the Philippines
Elemi resin comes from the tree Canarium luzonicum, native to the Philippines and up to 30 metres tall. Its oil smells of lemon and pine. The name probably goes back to a styptic remedy already described by Pliny the Elder.
- A pharaoh on the cap
The shape of the classic Xerjoff cap is modelled on the Red Crown of Lower Egypt, the “Deshret”. The idea came from Turin itself: the city is home to one of the most important Egyptian museums in the world.
- It all started with a quartz bottle
According to Xerjoff, Sergio Momo poured his very first fragrance into a hand-carved quartz bottle. A client from Moscow loved it so much that he ordered more. That was the starting signal for the brand.
- Black Sabbath is in the family too
Groove Xcape has a louder sibling in the Blends line: Tony Iommi Monkey Special, created in 2021 with the Black Sabbath guitarist. Iommi lost two fingertips in an industrial accident at 17 and kept playing with home-made caps moulded from a melted washing-up liquid bottle.
Frankincense and myrrh, two of the heart notes, are among the oldest aromatics known to humankind. In the Christmas story the Wise Men bring them as gifts, together with gold.
Discover more Xerjoff
If you want to dive deeper into the world of the Turin house, read our portrait Xerjoff: a luxurious journey through the world of niche perfumes. And to see how Xerjoff combines technology and perfume, read our article on Newcleus by Xerjoff.
Frequently asked questions about Groove Xcape
Is Groove Xcape a women’s or a men’s fragrance?
Both. Groove Xcape is designed as a unisex scent. The spicy-resinous composition develops a little differently on every skin, but it is never clearly “masculine” or “feminine”.
Who is Max Casacci?
Max Casacci is an Italian musician and producer and a co-founder of the Turin band Subsonica. For Groove Xcape he composed a track made only from the sounds of Xerjoff bottles.
Can I try Groove Xcape first?
Yes. Every fragrance order comes with a sample of the fragrance you ordered. You can also add up to four further free samples in the order note in your cart. And of course you are welcome to discover Groove Xcape in person at our boutique in Bregenz.
Good to know: every fragrance comes with a sample of the fragrance you ordered, and you can choose up to four further free samples via the order note in your cart. Shipping is free from € 200, you have a 14-day right of return, and every order earns you stars in the 4D Insider Club. Questions? Write to service@4doutfitters.com or visit us at Kornmarktstraße 7 in Bregenz.
Your 4D OUTFITTERS team, Bregenz
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