Djelem, Djelem

Djelem, Djelem by Nimere Parfums is a fragrance for women and men. Djelem, Djelem was launched in 2016. The nose behind this fragrance is Nikolay Eremin. Top notes are Hyssop and Herbal Notes; middle notes are Artemisia, Tobacco and Celery; base notes are Sage, Tolu Balsam, Hyrax, Peru Balsam, Leather, Oakmoss, Woody Notes, Benzoin, White Musk, Cedar, Tonka Bean and Patchouli. "Djelem Djelem is a song composed by Žarko Jovanović, often used as the anthem of the Romani people. The song reveals a painful mourning on the persecution of Gypsies during World War II by the Nazi SS troops. In late 60s, after the Oscar nominated film “I Even Met Happy Gypsies”, directed by Aleksandar Petrović; the song reached great popularity not only in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, but also in Europe. “Djelem Djelem” is, next to “La Gitane” and “Gypsy Blood”, the last scent of Nikolay Eremin’s “Gypsy Trilogy” that I would like to evaluate. “Djelem Djelem” is the one with the most Dionysian fullness, full of fantastic and surreal olfactory moments that also contain wonderful primitive aura. Nikolay’s tribute to the picturesque life of Gypsies opens persistently earthy, herbal, slight minty with phenolic moments. “Djelem Djelem” starts strongly like a Gypsy melody played on ox horns and brass in most powerful way – dirty and out of tune. You can sense the sweetness of nature bound life on the one hand. On the other hand there is this bitterness in the scent that pictures the nomad life of the unbreakable free spirit within the Romani society. Sage plays a very important role in the development of “Djelem Djelem”. Blended with pungent-minty herbal components, this ingredient closely related to rosemary, thyme and oregano, slightly piney and near to marijuana, manages to enhance a wonderful resinous-terpenic explosion. What a thrill! This peculiar character will never leave. The fragrance stays strong like the Powerhouse creations of the 80s. The used balsamic notes aren’t capable of softening anything here. In fact, it’s only a pretty innuendo. What follows is a significant increase of primitively animalic part of the scent. The fragrance escalates downright!  Now, what ingredient could possibly bear the responsibility for that? Yes, yes, and yes again! It is Hyraceum! Welcome on board, my beautiful one! Remember the opening and the blending? Now, all of these beautiful and strong notes formally bow down before the incredibly beautiful Cygan couple, Hyraceum and Leather. What more could a heart desire? And no, “Djelem Djelem” is not an experimental or strange artistic creation. It’s tailored as a perfect fit for anyone who marches to a different drummer, for the non-conform free thinkers and wild rebels out there, regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman. I would like to finish my Gypsy trip with a quote of Aleksandar Petrović that certainly fits the theme perfectly: “If the true measure of humaneness is the degree of freedom an individual manages to acquire for him/herself in his/her life, then Gypsies are humans above all." - a review by Bernardo Borsé.