Hi-Tide is a renowned, independent surf and exotica record label based in Freehold, New Jersey. Hi-Tide is the sister label of Nu-Tone which specializes in cinematic funk, Latin, soul and more. Every month The Pop Break will be interviewing an artist from the Hi-Tide artist roster.
A surf rock band from Poland.
Sounds absolutely unbelievable, right? Well, let’s introduce you to I. Jeziak and The Surfers. The four-piece band from the port city of Gdansk, Poland originally formed in 2023 to play surf rock covers. Lucky for the music world, they quickly pivoted to an original sound thanks to the band’s guitarist and vocalist Igor Jeziak’s compositions.
In such a short period of time, The Surfers have evolved into a well-oiled surf rock machine. Play their music and you would swear the music was crafted back in the ’60s by a couple of California kids fresh off the beach — not four musicians from Poland in the year 2025.
Recently, we caught up with the entire band to discuss their journey into surf rock, their release of their new single “The Breeze,” their mission to bring surf music to the masses of Poland, releasing music on Hi-Tide, and their hopes for 2025.
I. Jeziak & The Surfers Are (Band Members & Instruments They Play): Kacper Kwiatkowski – drums, Sławek Nowak – bass, Szymon Podgrodzki – rhythm guitar and vocals, Łukasz Domański – organ, Igor Jeziak – lead guitar, saxophone, and vocals
Year We Formed: Igor: We formed in early 2023, but the band really started to take shape toward the end of the year. That’s when we began playing regular gigs and our image was complete.
The Story Behind Our Name: Igor: The name “The Surfers” came about quite intuitively. Sławek (our bassist) suggested it as we were transitioning from our former band, Surf Rock in Poland, which used to play on the streets of Sopot and Gdańsk during the summer 2022 (with Kacper Kwiatkowski on drums, Norbert Czerniewski on bass, and myself on guitar). The name might seem like a simple choice, but considering that no one else in Poland plays surf music, it instantly connects us to the genre we represent.
Originally, The Surfers were a cover band performing classic hits from the ’60s and reimagined movie soundtracks. Over time, we began adding my original compositions to the setlist. I delved deeper into surf music, early garage rock, and producing music in a vintage style. Currently, we release music under the name I. Jeziak and The Surfers. We focus on my compositions, with me handling music production. I’ve been fortunate to meet amazing people and musicians who support my vision, and together, we have an incredible time.
You’ve Seen Us in Other Bands Such As:
Sławek Nowak: The Deadly Plants
Kacper Kwiatkowski: The Vaticans
Łukasz Domański: The Dirty Nips
Our Sound is Often Compared To:
Igor: We’re inspired by and would like to be associated with bands such as The Chantays, The Pyramids, The Avengers VI, Dick Dale & Del-Tones, The Surfaris, The Lively Ones, The Sandals, and The Astronauts.
When I think of surf music, Poland is not one of the countries I would assume is a hot bed for this genre of music. Can you talk about what inspired you to play surf music?
Igor: Surf music is almost unheard of here in Poland, but we’re doing everything we can to change that. I was introduced to the genre by Bartosz “Rudi” Wilczek, a drummer and founder of The Deadly Plants and The Flamestones. He’s an incredible musician who has inspired many people to play rock ‘n’ roll in Gdańsk. Composing is my lifelong passion, and surf music has been close to my heart for years. Its unique atmosphere and authenticity, combined with my love for the ’50s and ’60s, mean it will always remain part of my life.
Kacper: The first drummer of The Blind Shake Band [Dave Roper] — he was crazy energetic. Blind Shake played modern punk surf … a great band. I am more of a hard-hitting drummer myself, so seeing a musician with similar “energy” really gave me motivation to look for surf musicians and start a band.
Another huge inspiration for me was polish drummer Rudi Wilczek – creator of The Deadly Plants band. They had some great surf covers in their set. Rudi is the greatest surf drummer in Europe. Perfect dynamics, perfect fills, always 100%, real vintage gear. Our styles are different but I hope to become as smooth a player as he is one day.
Szymon: My inspiration for playing surf music was the desire to recreate this wonderful reverb sound live and show people this genre so that they can feel the same emotions that I felt when I listened to surf rock for the first time.
Łukasz: Pulp Fiction, aka the greatest film of all-time, inspired me to play surf music,
Can you talk about the surf music scene in Poland? Is there a thriving scene that we should be checking out?
Kacper: It’s important to mention the true Polish surf bands from the ’60s like Tajfuny and Pięciolinie (later known as Czerwone Gitary) who have long been inactive (unless some of their individual members are playing on their own). These bands tried to sound like American bands but due to the situation in Poland (which was under USSR control at the time) they did not have access to the appropriate musical gear. Currently, apart from our band, there are no bands in Poland playing strictly surf music or trying to recreate the original vintage style. I’ve searched many times, but unfortunately, there’s no one else nowadays. This music is quite unique here because it lacks vocals which are very important to most Polish listeners.
Last summer you signed with Hi-Tide Recordings to put out your record in 2025. Can you talk about the decision to join this label from New Jersey to put out your music?
Igor: We’ve signed a deal with Hi-Tide Recordings, which is an incredible opportunity for us. It was our dream to work with them — they release the best surf bands and pay attention to every detail and doi so much to support the genre today. It’s an honor for us, as we’re the only Polish band collaborating with Hi-Tide. We can’t believe that soon we’ll hear our music on vinyl. Magdalena and Vincent, the label’s founders, are also incredibly kind and helpful people.
What are the band’s aspirations with the new record – is it breaking through to the American scene (including touring) or are you looking at this from a more global surf music perspective?
Igor: We are primarily focused on creating authentic music and giving great performances. We care about fans in the U.S. just as much as those from other countries. Performing as much as possible is important to us, and if it allows us to travel and see the world, that’s even better.
You recently dropped the single, “Free as the Ocean.” Can you talk about where this song fits into your musical journey? Would you say this is a turning point to a new direction (and if so, why) or holding steady on the course you’re already on (and if so, why)?
Igor: The song “Free as The Ocean” marks a turning point for us, setting a boundary between what we did on “Surf Party!” and the direction we’re heading now. We’re embracing classic surf music with a calmer, more polished sound and no vocals—for now, though we’re not ruling it out in the future.
What is it that you love about being in I. Jeziak & The Surfers?
Igor: For me, this isn’t just about playing in a band — it’s a way of life! Our rehearsals are fun get-togethers, and our concerts are long-anticipated moments of joy. I’ve been lucky to find wonderful people who are not only talented musicians but also amazing friends.
Kacper: I love surf music in general and being able to play with the greatest surf music composer of our times (Igor) is like winning the lottery. Crazy how genius he is (multi-instrumentalist, composer, guitar and gear creator, graphic designer and much more!). I also love spending time with the band, amazing people. We all need to remember that there is no way to keep a band together forever, musicians come and go, etc. But I’m very proud of being part of this project.
Szymon: What I like most about being in this band is the opportunity to express myself through music and share my greatest passion with my band members.
Łukasz: Simply playing tunes with the boys!
What are the Top 5 things you are excited about for I. Jeziak & The Surfers in 2025.
Igor:
- A surf trip along the Polish coast, potentially combined with concerts.
- Releasing a single featuring “Free as The Ocean” and “The Breeze” on vinyl.
- Recording as many music videos as possible for songs from the upcoming album.
- Performing internationally, including at the Landlocked Festival in the UK.
- Releasing our album on vinyl this summer!
Kacper:
- Premiere of “The Breeze” music video.
- Premiere of our single on vinyl, thanks to Hi-Tide records!
- Upcoming trip to Poznan and Wrocław.
- Trip to learn surfing on the Baltic coast in the summer.
- Next gigs at 107 Pub (favorite spot in our hometown, Gdansk).
Szymon:
- A concert in the UK.
- A tour around the Polish coast.
- Surfing together.
- Creating more music videos.
- Learning more and more interesting songs.
Łukasz:
- Coffee in Livorno (Italy).
- Pizza in Livorno.
- Livorno beach.
- Jams.
- You
