ORCHID IS THE FUTURE OF THE SYNTH SOUNDSCAPE

words by ANOUK WOUDT

As intriguing as it looks, Orchid is one of the most exciting new inventions to break into the music scene. From the mind of Kevin Parker—better known as Tame Impala—its signature chord-heavy sound has already made its debut on big-ticket releases such as Don Toliver’s Octane, despite being just over a year old. Now released in a futuristic, fully transparent limited-edition colourway, the instrument mirrors its cosmic sound in form, reflecting the ethereal space it sonically inhabits, perfectly accompanied by the release of a cheeky clairvoyant short film, TeleVision.

Launched by Telepathic Instruments in 2025, Orchid’s function is unlike that of your typical musical instrument. Where most instruments rely on a sound built upon individual notes, Orchid’s sound is based on chords. Its voicing system replicates that of a full piano keyboard, giving the user expanded harmonic possibilities while maintaining a compact beginner-friendly form. With seemingly endless customisations, it makes a unique sound refreshingly easy to create, introducing a new conceptual type of musical engineering. There’s truly nothing like it on the existing market, which is exciting in an age where it feels like every sound has already been discovered.

Along with the new Clear Orchid: Arctic colourway, Telepathic Instruments unveils a celebratory short film titled TeleVision. Stepping into the vaporwave fever dream, we meet Darlene LeClair, played by Joséphine de La Baume, who stars as a musical medium alongside her trusty Orchid companion. Channelling whimsical psychic charisma and early 2000s infomercials, we are swept up into this gleaming retro dreamscape, led by Darlene’s comical persona. Featuring appearances from Lewis Capaldi, Janelle Monáe, and Fred Durst, the short is a tongue-in-cheek celebration of sound through playful bursts of satire, pairing entertainment with a clear message. While magical technology and clairvoyance are initially positioned as replacements for the artist, we arrive instead at a final, cataclysmic truth—only you can discover what lives in your own mind… The phrase battles the rising imposition of AI in music, highlighting that a musician’s artistry comes from within, not from the tools they use.

The release of the new transparent colourway also comes with an enticing addition: the release of Pistil, a VST plugin, which can be used on both Mac and Windows. Allowing users to tweak and edit existing sounds directly from their laptops, this new addition allows you to expand the Orchid soundscape even further.