Photo by Nat Campbell

Dari Bay is the vehicle of Burlington artist Zack James. You might already be familiar with his work as one of the primary songwriters helping steer dizzying indie-punks Robber Robber or seen his face on the road alongside the rest of the Unknown Mortal Orchestra crew. Dude gets around creatively, but he gets even further on his own accord (or is it chord?) even if he’s feeling a little stuck in place and lost at the same time on “Chevy”, a recent highlight from his band’s forthcoming sophomore effort, Surprise Wish.

In a stammer of static-compressed riffage and livewire synths, the listen veers off the beaten path from your usual alt-rock revivalism with weird key changes and experimental beat skips. “Map with directions laid out on it / Eyes closed, I start to touch down on it / There are many things that I do not understand,” he resigns. Hate to cliché it, Zack, but not all who wander are lost, and this one only head into the right direction.

Directed by: Zach James & Nina Cates

Dari Bay’s Surprise Wish will be released June 26th on Double Double Whammy.