Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker has announced a new instrument called Orchid. Conceived by the producer extraordinaire over a decade ago and developed by Telepathic Instruments, Orchid is an “advanced chord generating hardware synthesizer” that was made with both longtime songwriters and new musicians alike in mind. Watch a trailer that showcases the range of abilities the instrument offers below.
Orchid’s primary feature is its matrix of eight chord-type selecting and chord modifying keys, with a single-octave keyboard where users can choose a root note and trigger the chord. It also includes a 16-voice polyphonic synth engine with onboard ambience, modulation FX, a separate bass synth engine exclusively for bottom end, dual stereo built-in speakers, a sensitive keyboard, and a rechargeable battery. Additionally, there’s onboard effects like reverb and delay, a loop mode, and a MIDI output. Packaged in a sleek, retro-futuristic design by co-founder Ignacio Germade, Orchid is available for purchase for $549 starting on December 18.
Over the summer, Parker worked on a capsule of “psychedelic minimalism” for the Parisian fashion brand A.P.C., too. His clothing line for them includes alpaca sweaters, corduroy trousers, bucket hats, and more to keep you cozy.
Tame Impala’s last album, The Slow Rush, came out in 2020. Over the years, the band has linked up for collaborations with Thundercat and Diana Ross, rolled out an Elvis Presley remix, and shared the original song “Wings of Time” from 2023. They also dropped a few B-sides from the album, like “The Boat I Row” and “No Choice.”
Revisit “RIYL: Tame Impala’s The Slow Rush” on the Pitch.