“Neon Circuits and the Mission of Hope” by Blueprint Tokyo is a neon sign declaring “Techno is back from the dead”. With their first full-length album, Blueprint Tokyo brings listeners back to the 80’s with synth-fueled nostalgia.
The album opens with “Say Anything”, a dark-toned, moody introduction to an electric sixteen-track album. The vocals are crisp and agonizing, telling a tale of emotional vulnerability and desperation. Next comes “Replicants”, a song all about the ‘80s and what makes us nostalgic for them. Both songs come with an accompanying music video, which further pushes the ‘80s energy with fuzzy visuals and crackling graphics that are perfectly reminiscent of an old-school television. The “Replicants” speaks about the “heart of 1984” and the music video perfectly encapsulates that idea with flashing images of boomboxes, arcades, and ‘80s fashion filled with bright colors.
Next comes “Take My Breath”. The song is more upbeat than the previous two, with the message of love taking your breath away. The vocals are followed up by a soulful saxophone in the background of the bridge. The song speaks about a new, young love being fragile and exciting as lovers make their way through the different stages of a relationship all the way to a broken heart.
“A Whole New Life” brings a new, interesting aspect to the album with layered, somewhat synthetic vocals that sing about new love and the uncertainty that comes with that confession of devotion with the lyrics stating “I don’t know if you know what you mean to me.” “Mission Control” continues playing with sound, introducing background sound effects to really drive home the nostalgic vibes. The song talks about needing hope for the future, destroying your world, and rebuilding it better for yourself and the people around you.
“Closed Door Drama” brings the vibes down a bit, with listeners needing to process some grief and trauma to understand the hope that comes from healing and loving yourself and others. The song starts with a story about a man the singer knows whose mother died when he was a young boy, and explains the fleeting experience of life. They go on to encourage listeners to love while they can, “Kiss your love so long you’ll soon be gone”. The next song, “Stranger Things”, is moody and melodramatic beginning with anxiety-inducing vocals before lifting listeners up with a plunky piano and full vocals.
“Stand and Deliver” is a final draw at a relationship, with the singer promising that they will “stand and deliver” for their partner and asking their partner to do the same. The song has rich, full male vocals with the faint ghost of higher vocals backing him up, adding another layer to the emotional impact that the song delivers. “Invisible Year” offers that distinct synthetic sound with soaring vocals that signal a cry for help, “I want to feel something. I want to feel alive. show me something real.” With fast-paced drums and the constant strumming of a guitar keeping the tone quick and panicked, listeners are drawn into the emotions of the song and held there as the story is told.
“Dragons” and “Only Hearts” slow things down with a more relaxed vibe. “Only Hearts” talks about being in love while the object of your affection seems not to care about your feelings and devotion. The vocals are haunting and agonizing, the emotions of the singer clearly evident in every sustained note. “Connected Lines” aims to bring listeners back up before sending them off to “Transfer”, a more rock-styled song with a thick, prominent electric guitar and whining vocals. “Infused” brings forth a hopeful energy, encouraging listeners to become what is necessary to make a better future and to be a better version of yourself in the future.
“Take Me Anyplace” is another upbeat song within the album, pushing the neon-pop, surrealism vibes even further. The album finishes strong with “Sailor Girl”. The song offers deep, moody vocals and an accompanying saxophone once again, though this time these aspects are layered over top of a poppy, sanguine background sound. “Neon Circuits and the Mission of Hope” is everything you could ask for in a modern-vintage album mashup. The songs are contemporary, yet with a distinct nostalgic, old-school filter laid over top, allowing listeners of all ages and genres a place within this world.
Written by Madeline A. S. Kilness
