Late last year, Tame Impala's Kevin Parker launched the instrument company Telepathic Instruments and unveiled a debut product: Orchid.
Described as both an "ideas machine" and a "tool for anyone who wants to step outside their musical comfort zone", it's a 16-voice digital polysynth that features a unique chord generation system and a slick retro aesthetic. (Find more details on the instrument here.)
The first batch of Orchids landed in December as part of its beta release. Telepathic Instruments tells us that this initial U.S.-only run of 1000 instruments sold out in "mere seconds" and that since then, artists such as Fred Again and Gracie Abrams have been spotted using Orchid.
Today, the company has announced Orchid's second drop, revealing that 3000 more units will be made available to international customers. Two drops will be held for different timezones on May 29: the North, Central, and South America Drop will be open to all countries in the EDT timezone and kicks off at 7pm EDT. The Rest of World Drop will be available to Europe, Australia, Asia and the UK and takes place at 10am CET. Stock is limited to one Orchid per customer.
If you're hoping to get your hands on an Orchid, you'll need to sign up to The Garden, Telepathic Instruments' Patreon community - described by the company as a "digital forum and sandbox for sonic exploration" - and follow the instructions detailed in this post. Don't delay, as stock will be allocated according to the number of signups in each region.
The Garden provides a space for Orchid users to offer feedback on the instrument. Several improvements in Orchid's second release were prompted by community engagement, including an updated loop mode and the addition of 10 new sounds.
Telepathic Instruments has also launched Telepathic Studios, a platform for creative spaces that invite artists to explore their songwriting process with Orchid, informing future product development. The first Telepathic Studios sessions are due to take place in London this month, with more planned for Los Angeles later in the year.
Orchid will be available exclusively from Telepathic Instruments' website and is still priced at $549, though Telepathic Instruments notes that additional duties/tariffs may apply for U.S. customers.
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