Molten Music Technology’s Orchid Review: Hipster Toy or Chord Weapon?

Robin Vincent wastes no time calling out the Orchid’s vibe: it’s a chord generator dressed up for a night out in Shoreditch. The marketing is all beautiful people and even more beautiful promo shots, but beneath the surface, it’s a machine built to spit out chord progressions and get you making music fast. The hardware is undeniably eye-catching, with a 70s hi-fi aesthetic and a design that practically begs to be fiddled with. It’s plastic, sure, but it’s got a certain lumpy charm that makes you want to poke at it just to see what happens.

The Orchid’s whole pitch is to inspire creativity by making chords stupidly easy. Robin’s not fussed about the celebrity connections or the hype—he’s here to see if it’s actually useful or just another overpriced toy for the Instagram set. And let’s be honest, the first playthrough already hints at the answer: it’s fun, it’s immediate, and it’s got enough groove to make you forget you’re not in a synth showroom. But is that enough to make it more than a flashy distraction?

The Orchid packs a surprising number of sounds—60, to be exact—ranging from vintage electric pianos to organs and synths, all with a solid retro flavour. There’s built-in drums (a sneaky surprise), a bass section, and a handful of effects like reverb, chorus, and delay. The controls are simple but effective, with performance options like strumming and arpeggiation to keep things lively. Robin points out that the sound quality is genuinely decent for what it is—no pointless swooshes, just usable tones for actual music-making.

But the gaps are hard to ignore. Outputs? Just a stereo mini-jack—no line outs, no big jacks, and absolutely no modular or CV/gate connectivity. MIDI out is there, but MIDI in is missing, and the USB implementation is, in Robin’s words, “a little bit hit and miss.” The screen is dim and fingerprint-prone, and the keyboard is missing a top C, which is just plain annoying for certain chord inversions. It’s a case of style over substance in places, and if you’re hoping to integrate this into a serious modular rig, you’ll need to get creative—or just accept its limitations.

Where the Orchid absolutely slaps is in its ability to generate musical ideas at the speed of thought. Robin highlights the key mode, which automatically maps chords to the right scale, letting you bash out progressions without thinking about theory. It’s a proper songwriting shortcut—just pick a key, mash some buttons, and suddenly you’re halfway to a pop tune. The performance features, like strumming and arpeggiators, add movement and make even the laziest chord stabs sound like you know what you’re doing.

It’s not just about the sounds; it’s about the workflow. The Orchid makes you want to play, and it’s almost impossible not to stumble into something catchy. Robin admits that even if you’re a jazz snob or a complex chord wizard, there’s something here to make you grin. But don’t expect deep editing or custom voicings—this is about instant gratification, not endless tweaking. If you want to see just how quickly it can spark an idea, you’ll need to watch the video for the full sonic fireworks.

Here’s where the Orchid’s rave bunker starts to look more like a garden shed. The looping and recording features are basic—Robin describes them as more MIDI recorder than true audio looper. You can overdub, but only so much before things get messy, and there’s no way to separate parts or build up proper arrangements. The drum section is hit and miss, sometimes refusing to show up when you want it, and the workflow can be frustrating with menus that vanish before you’ve finished tweaking.

Despite these quirks, the fun factor is real. The immediacy of capturing a groove is undeniable, but if you’re hoping for advanced song-building or DAW-style editing, you’ll be left wanting. The Orchid’s strengths are in sparking ideas, not finishing tracks. Robin’s honest about the limitations: it’s a blast to jam with, but don’t expect it to replace your main sequencer or looper. If you want to see the chaos in action—and the moments where it all falls apart—the video is a must-watch.