El Cosmico is both a difficult, and an easy, place to explain. On the one hand, it's almost impossible to succinctly describe this campground-turned-venue-turned-hotel-turned-landmark, or the remote, artists'-haven town of Marfa where it resides. On the other hand, when you're sitting around a roaring fire under the West Texas stars, it's simple to pick a single word: magical. This is at the core of David Moltz's El Cosmico, an ode to a truly remarkable place where the rustically timeless and the bleeding edge of hip coexist in beautiful harmony. Originally conceived for a 2015 performance where a proprietary olfactory instrument circulated scents throughout an outdoor crowd while his band performed, Moltz has since synthesized that experience into a single fragrance that perfectly captures the aura of the high plains desert: citric sumac plays against darkly smoky creosote and a zing of mesquite, while robustly fresh pinyon pine and oak lend a woodsy backbone. Above it all floats an enchanting, gently sparkling, and almost ozonic note- perhaps the sand accord?- that perfectly evokes the astounding glow of the stars out far beyond any city lights. Suspended between the luminous cosmos and the rugged frontier, El Cosmico is a delightful, surprising, enchanting new scent from D.S. & Durga.
