Blueprint Tokyo’s New Single ‘Say Anything’ Will Have Listeners Talking

Indie-rock band Blueprint Tokyo have just released their newest single ‘Say Anything’, and it is a belter. This comes after their acclaimed debut EP, ‘A Whole New Life’, put them on the map as a group to watch.  

The band has been releasing anthemic songs from their bases in Oklahoma and Lethbridge, Canada, since late 2021 and seems to have perfected their craft. This came after a brief hiatus during which band member, Kevin Dawson, was forced to take a breather, enabling both him and his bandmate, Andrew Hale, to re-evaluate their sound.

Blueprint Tokyo’s music sits somewhere between ambient ‘80s synth and classic alternative rock, finding all the right intersection points. ‘Say Anything’ has a dreamlike quality to it, aided by the Casio intro, the production, and the delivery of the vocals.

There is a breathlessness to Dawson’s vocal quality which belies his power later in the song. This is a very clever choice as it couples well with the themes of this track. An eeriness and almost apocalyptic feeling penetrate the tune around the first chorus. This is an effective way to put listeners on guard, and the lyrics only add to this: “Who is waiting in the shadows / Scary movies scaring people / Who is waiting in the darkness”.

While the lyrics could be understood very literally, and the imagery of lurking figures in the shadows isn’t a comforting one, there are facets to the song. What it points to is the writer’s desperation to find the light in the darkness – to fill the silence with noise.

They then build the song with a call-and-answer production technique and soaring melodies before drawing it back in the fade-out. Even though the narrative seems relatively sinister, the production saves the listener from a feeling of hopelessness, creating a complex listening experience.

‘Say Anything’ is a triumphant return for Blueprint Tokyo and should inspire excitement amongst listeners for what is to come.

Chloe Boehm

@chlojo98

Image: ‘Say Anything’ Official Single Cover