D.S. & DURGA SWEET DO NOTHING was launched in 2022.
Timeless hangs, orange blossom special, rock tank swimming, cacti, the life. The lovely folks at El Cosmico have a way to describe the timeless coming together of nomadic friends in the high plains desert of West Texas—“Sweet Do Nothing.” It’s a feeling that can be coaxed, but not forced. Things slow down, landscapes loom large, the far is near. This scent captures that hang—the tuning in among orange blossom, flowering cacti, Texas cedars, fig and creosote. Sweet Do Nothing is a floral woody musk created by David Seth Moltz and features top notes of neroli, green coyote chola and desert pepper; middle notes of Texas everbearing fig, orange flower and incense; and base notes of Texas cedar, water musk and creosote. It is an eau de parfum, edp.
Fragrantica: This is light for an EDP but the smell is clean and inviting. I can see the desert influence but in a soft way more like Mojave Ghost and less like Tauer. This one has that undeniable DSD DNA written all over it. A ride through the Texas desert in a vintage convertible with the wind running through your sundress and your hair. An easy wear for spring and summer for sure.
Fragrantica: Enjoying this release. It is definitely connected and similar to El Cosmico, DS Durga's first Texas inspired perfume. The opening neroli and mid fig are what give this scent its own identity. As the neroli fades, this feels like El Cosmico meets Debaser. The house is really good at having an established profile and identifiable DNA. It's in here! The smoky woods especially assist with that.
Colognoisseur: When I was in graduate school, I drove cross-country with one of my roommates from Georgia to California. We picked up I-10 and drove west. Of the 2400 miles of the highway a third of them are in Texas. There was a time when it felt like we would never get out of the state. This was especially true once we left San Antonio behind. There were small towns and truck stops dotting the West Texas landscape. It was high summer in the desert. When we would stop to stretch our legs there was a scent to this part of the world. The access roads were lined by wooden telephone poles soaked in creosote. The dry winds always carried the sharp smell. There was also the scent of the green vegetation that grew and a bit of the flowers that thrived in this environment. DS & Durga Sweet Do Nothing reminds me of all this. This is the second Texas inspired fragrance from independent perfumer David Seth Moltz. Six years ago he was inspired by the city of Marfa in creating El Cosmico. It was a relentlessly dry woody style impregnated with creosote. It was monolithic. The biggest difference this time is the telephone pole is part of a more complex landscape. Mr. Moltz doesn’t even get to it first. He opens with an accord built around neroli and orange blossom. The green piece of neroli finds some vegetal partners. The orange blossom is made creamier through fig. Incense evokes the dryness of the West Texas air. It is now where the creosote comes in. Mr. Moltz finds a place for it to thrive among the green and florals. Cedar rises in prominence over the later stages as if the late afternoon heat is washing things out. This time when it is just the creosote and cedar it feels like a completed journey. Sweet Do Nothing has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage. This is an interesting contrast to El Cosmico. I enjoyed it much more than the strident predecessor. Sweet Do Nothing seems as vast as the plains of West Texas.
