“Samurai Smile” by Sons of Martha struts through a neon-lit alley with your headphones blasting ghost stories and groove at full volume. From the very first smug rev of the guitar, you know you’re in for something mysterious, and just a bit dangerous. Then the drums kick in, followed by a fuzzy wall of guitar that grinds in with menace.
Written by Josh Beach and recorded at the legendary Crouch End Studios in North London, “Samurai Smile” is a polished curveball that lets Sons of Martha flex a slightly harder edge than their usual sound—think melodic vocals riding a Stone Roses-adjacent wave, but with their own swagger stamped all over it. The bass line is the secret sauce here: it slinks through the track with hypnotic confidence and holds the whole song together while everything else dances around it.
But let’s talk vibes. This isn’t just a groovy alt-rock banger. It’s also a nod to Japanese folklore, specifically the creepy tale of Kuchisake-onna—a ghost with a slit mouth and some serious trust issues. The vocals build steadily at first, as if cautiously telling the tale, and then climb and swell until they hit this subtle, soaring peak. It’s not an in-your-face chorus—it’s more like a wave that sneaks up and sweeps you away.
“Samurai Smile” takes your attention with a rhythm that grabs your spine and a spooky-cool story you can’t help but lean into. Check it out on Spotify if that’s your thing.
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Review by: Naomi Joan