Mentha Works Monk Echo is a new eye-catching hardware multi-FX pedal from Riga, powered by an original Monk Voice engine.
There are countless multi-effects pedals on the market, ranging from under €50 to over €1000. Standing out from the crowd in this vast, competitive market is becoming increasingly difficult.
The new Mentha Works Monk Echo does two things right: it’s eye-catching, and its original sound engine does things differently.
Mentha Works Monk Echo
Mentha Works is a new music tech company from Riga, Latvia. Yes, the city that’s home to Erica Synths Gamechanger Audio and Elta Music. The founders are Toms Lazdovskis and Matiss Tazans, and they were active with Gamechanger Audio for a long time.
Mentha Works Monk Echo is their first product, an original stereo multi-FX processor. What immediately stands out is the very Teenage Engineering-like white design, which is very eye-catching.
One of these unique design features is the white-dot interface, which provides visual feedback on the patch rather than a classic OLED display. Also, the engine is pretty unique.
At the core is a multi-FX engine with reverb and delay, which can be shaped with an original monk-voice engine, responsive modulation, granular pitch-shifting, distortion, and a unique degradation effect
Interesting: there are not dozens of algorithms, but just eight fine-tuned effect tools with morphing capabilities. Each effect is designed to offer a wide range of sounds that harmonize with the others.
For example, the delay ranges from 1 millisecond to 10 seconds, so it basically acts as a building block for everything in the engine.
It can also self-oscillate and sustain the echoes indefinitely without collapsing into unwanted noise. There is also a reverse delay option. On the other hand, the reverb offers silky-smooth diffusion, giving you subtle yet super lush results for ambient texture.
The core sound of Monk Echo is a mixture of the reverb and delay. This marriage unlocks feedback between them, creating layers of evolving ambient echoes, rhythmic repeats with distant reverberations, and more.
Monk Voice Engine
A highlight and truly unique feature is the Monk Voice engine, from which the Monk Echo also derives its name. The Monk voice is based on morphing formant filters tuned to the resonant frequencies of the human voice. Baltic choirs and mystical spaces inspire them.
Instead of diving through different algorithms, you can shape delay and reverb in various directions with the Monk Voice and its voice characters (male, female, and children). You can select them manually or glide from one to another with the auto mode.
Add just a hint of this resonance for a distant resemblance to the human voice or push it to fully infuse your echoes with ringing vowels.
Suddenly, it is like a choir of monks echoing through stone walls, joined by ethereal female voices and bright children’s tones.
Alongside these blocks, there is also a granular pitch shifter and static or responsive modulation to add even more evolving textures to delay reverb combos. A bit of character? No problem.
You can also infuse mild or brutal distortion in the signal flow or add musical artefacts (dropouts…) using the degradation section. This allows you to create vintage-inspired echo effects.
Operation
No display, no endless algorithms, and no menu diving. Mentha Works has devised a special operating system for the Monk Echo. It has eight knobs and button combos, which are closely related to each other and are designed to be explored.
By simply rotating the knob, you can achieve a variety of effects for which you would otherwise have needed dedicated algorithms.
There is one more knob, it’s a big one. More precisely, it’s a unique macro control that turns the pedal into a performance instrument.
It allows you to control and morph multiple parameters simultaneously. This lets you transition from subtle effects to a powerful, epic FX in seconds. Plus, it has master low and high frequency filters to fine-tune your final sound.
Connectivity
On the backside, it has stereo connectivity (two mono in/out), 5-pin MIDI in/out with thru option, an expression pedal input, a USB-C port for power and firmware updates, and a classic 9V/DC power input.
Mentha Works also implemented full MIDI in the Monk Echo. Not to forget, you can save eight presets in the hardware and recall up to 127 presets via MIDI.
First Impression
At first glance, it’s a lovely multi-effects pedal that reawakens the urge for GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome).
I like that it takes a different approach than most multi-effects pedals. Instead of a trillion of FXs, it has a limited, finely tuned set that works so closely together, resulting in a still wide range of sounds.
We’ll have to wait until the pedal is released to see if it lives up to its promises. At least the first demo sounds very tempting.
Mentha Works Monk Echo is now available for pre-order at 384€ instead of 483,17€ (incl. VAT). It’s a special pre-order price limited to the first 500 units. Shipping will start in February 2026.
More information: Mentha Works
Looks good!