Episode 62- Demo Accords

“Once Upon a Time, at the beginning of Everything, there were two spirits with no names and no desires other than to observe. ”
- Pia Long, Demo Accords

Photo credit: Luca Sage & British Library BIPC

In this episode, I’m joined by Finnish-born, UK-based perfumer and author Pia Long, co-founder of Olfiction and Eau de Boujee. With a career spanning four decades, Pia sees scent as a form of communication and perfume as bottled stories, shaped by her background in languages, writing, and translation. Her imaginative approach to perfumery has earned her international recognition, including the Septimus Piesse Visionary Award from the Institute of Art and Olfaction.

Pia’s new book, Demo Accords, is a semi-autobiographical collection of nine essays and one short story, each paired with a perfume formula published in full. She describes the work as a kind of orchestration: the writing is the script, the formulas are the sheet music, and the perfumes themselves are the orchestra playing.

Together, we talk about the art and science of perfumery, the themes behind Demo Accords, and how fragrance can act as both personal storytelling and a shared language of connection.

Fragrances mentioned:
Queen, Verdant, Quir and Guilded by Eau de Boujee

Book discussed:
Demo Accords - Pia Long

Find Pia’s work here:
Instagram:
@perfumer.pia
@eau_de_boujee
@olfictionlimited

Website:
Pre-oder @ demoaccords.com
eaudeboujee.com
olfiction.com

Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records