Blueprint Tokyo have always flirted with nostalgia, but on ‘Neon Circuits and the Mission of Hope’, they dive in headfirst, emerging with something that feels utterly fresh and exciting. The Oklahoma City outfit’s debut full-length is a confident journey through synth-soaked landscapes, widescreen emotion, and left turns that land with precision.
What’s striking is how fluidly the album traverses genre terrain while maintaining a unified mood. Opener ‘Say Anything’ pulses with new-wave nerves with shimmering keys and tight, wiry guitars. It channels a kind of cinematic tension, like a long-lost Manchester Orchestra track updated for midnight dance floors. Just as you settle into that glossy groove, the band swerves into ‘Take My Breath’, an 80s-tinged standout that swaggers with saxophone and soft-focus romance.
That shape-shifting spirit is present throughout. ‘Stranger Things’ (as the name cheekily hints) feels like the emotional core of the record. It leans into moody textures and sweeping arrangements that wouldn’t feel out of place in a retro-futurist film score. It’s one of the most transportive cuts and anchors the album with a sense of grandeur.
Despite its stylistic reach, ‘Neon Circuits’ never loses focus. Whether Blueprint Tokyo are dialling into dancefloor euphoria or unravelling atmospheric ballads, there’s a flow here built on tone, feeling, and meticulous craft. It’s less a playlist and more a map; one that charts where the band has been, but more importantly, where they’re headed.
If previous releases hinted at their potential, ‘Neon Circuits and the Mission of Hope’ delivers it in full. Blueprint Tokyo have made an album that moves like a memory and hits like a live show. It’s romantic, restless, and ready to be heard at full volume.
