Blueprint Tokyo
Say Anything
Blueprint Tokyo is a duo based in Oklahoma, comprised of Kevin Dawson (vocals & guitar), and Andrew Hale (keyboards & guitar). The six singles they’ve released thus far are an atmospheric blend of rock and indie synth. Think Collective Soul meets a great 80’s synth band like The Smiths. Here’s our review of their 7th release, “Say Anything.”
Track starts with the main riff and a drum patch in a lo-fi, Casio like settings, dig it. When the verse drops in we get a cool floor tom based riff underneath some classic analog patches, a hooky synth line and Kevin’s brooding vocals. Great pre-chorus opens up the feel a bit, and then we’re into the chorus where we get a great feel change with a new drum pattern and a building cascade of synths, guitars and BG’s. Love how this is a long and progressively building section - not just an “8 bars & out” thing. Second verse is a change up from the first as the tones expand and we get some great fuzz guitar in the left speaker. Great syncopation in the hits from the band. The solo section / bridge feels like we’ve walked into a grand room as the whole scene opens up.
We really dig the nonconformist structure of the song - they’re following the tones and vibe, not sticking to the standard ABABCA format, per se. Their bio states that they love hooks and atmosphere, and they prove it here. No wonder every song they’ve released has over 10,000 streams on Spotify, they take the time to develop it right.
By scrolling through their Social Media and other songs (“Infused” and “Take Me Anyplace” are our favorites) you’ll discover that Kevin has faced some considerable health challenges in the past few years. We wish you well, sir, hopefully this solid track is a great rebirth for your health and musical career. We’ll definitely paying attention in the future!