Under the banner of Windser, Jordan Topf’s music brims with the complex magic that comes from digging into one’s own experiences. This is certainly evident on the new single “Friends I Barely Know,” which is drawn from Windser’s upcoming debut EP, Where the Redwoods Meet the Sea. The project will be released Oct. 12th and was produced by Topf and Day Wave’s Jackson Phillips. Pre-order the EP HERE.

“Friends I Barely Know” opens with a callout to Zami! Co-Op in Santa Cruz, a punk house/DIY artspace where Topf would play shows and spend free time, but quickly pivots to the bliss that comes from feeling right at home even in the midst of a flock of strangers. “Now I’m standing / In a moshpit / Surrounded by friends that I barely know,” he sings, the smile on his face readily evident.

Where the Redwoods Meet the Sea is imbued with the well-worn indie rock tenderness and beguiling songwriting for which Topf and Phillips are best-known – the sort of sound that made Windser the perfect opener on recent tours with Portugal. The Man and alt-J. Befitting the nostalgic tone of the EP, Topf draws energy from his parents and the California music on which he was raised.

Throughout, Topf finds bleary-eyed beauty in joyful memories and painful loss, in the littlest experiences and the life-altering events. “My parents were old hippies,” he laughs. “My dad played the guitar and my mom is a jazz piano player. My dad passed away when I was 22, so getting to play his guitar on this EP was an incredible way to honor him.”

Photo Courtesy: Henry Thong