Blueprint Tokyo’s 2025 album Neon Circuits and the Mission of Hope is a fascinating listen that completely subverts the expectations of an unsuspecting audience. The name of the band combined with the album title leads one to believe that this album would be a techno, rave, house music, or any other modern electronic sound genre but what it actually is. Even the first few notes of the first track, “Say Anything,” mislead the listener, and once they move past this, the sound is shocking in a great way.
This talented group has blended a modern alternative pop with classic rock roots and created a sound that can resonate with all kinds of people. The instrumental background lines up more with an alternative sound, while the raspy vocals give off the vibe of a folk rock group, and this contradiction blends surprisingly well into a modern tone. Not only does this contradiction work in terms of sound, it also works in terms of theme, in that the so-called “Mission of Hope” comes through in the more positive background, while many of the lyrics are more hopeless, ironically. Much of the lyrics are a desperate call for help from an unknown source, and it is tragically beautiful that their mission of hope is never achieved.
This up and coming band from Oklahoma City should be on everyone’s radar, regardless of what your cup of tea is musically. In an album of sixteen songs, there is truly something for everyone. The introspective, anthemic track, “Stranger Things,” is there for those going through heartbreak and needing a powerful song, “Connected Lines” is there for those who want some 80s nostalgia combined with a modern sound, and the whole album is there for those on their own missions of hope.
The chemistry that Blueprint Tokyo has makes for a seamless combination of genres that would be difficult for most groups to pull off. The raspy, gritty vocals combine with instrumentals from every decade from the 80s on into an emotional journey that remains open ended, even in the album’s conclusion. It is safe to say that Blueprint Tokyo is not going anywhere but up, and with their creativity, there is so much room to grow and even more music bending sounds to explore. They have an exciting, longing sound that is exactly what music needs.
Written by Logan Duffett