Tom Butcher (aka Orqid, middle) bridges the gap between Depeche Mode and Bernard Szajner on his new single.
Tom Butcher (aka Orqid, middle) bridges the gap between Depeche Mode and Bernard Szajner on his new single.

Patchwerks, the startup synthesizer/electronic-gear retail shop owned by Cindy Reichel and Tom Butcher, recently opened its brick-and-mortar business (3107 Eastlake Avenue East Suite B) after beginning as an online merchant in October. It's the only such dedicated store in Seattle, and as the owners indicate, they want it to be not only a place to buy gear, but also a spot where musicians, producers, and instrument builders can network and hold workshops. The next Patchwerks-sponsored Synth Meetup—in which synthesizer companies and inventors showcase their wares—happens Sunday December 11 (6 pm-11 pm) at Fred Wildlife Refuge. Patchwerks is taking reservations for tables; email the company at info@patchwerks.com for more info.

In other Patchwerk news, Butcher, under the name of Orqid, has released a 7-inch single titled Ideology on his own Disco Couture label. The A-side sounds like Depeche Mode covering Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight," with Butcher crooning some exquisite heartbreak over spare, forlorn synth vapor and timbrally quirky percussion. The two B-side cuts are the main attractions for me, as they explore more sinister and celestial regions of the synth spectrum, respectively. Fans of Bernard Szajner and Spiritualized Electric Mainline's Pure Phase Tones for D.J.'s will not be disappointed.

You can catch Orqid performing a live/DJ hybrid set for the Sylvan Series at Volunteer Park Conservatory on December 10.