Review: Anesti Danelis, Quarantine Bops

On Quarantine Bops, Anesti Danelis sets your pandemic frustrations—the boredom! The hobbies! The perpetual mental fatigue!—to song.

The Toronto comedian’s “visual musical comedy album”—he made videos for 13 of its tracks—works through half a year of situational grievances using synth pop, hip hop, ‘90s house, and other synth-and-beats styles. Each anchored by Danelis’ blunt lyrical wit: “How many shits are they planning to take?” he wonders of the roll hoarders, on “No More Toilet Paper”. There’s a lusty ballad called “Touching Your Face”, about finally doing just that, while “I’m So Bored” lists off the time-wasting adventures that have filled his days (“I made a big hat from all my small hats / and then I yelled into a pillow.”). There’s even a robot-voiced skit, of the Amber Alert app looking for a new job.

Yes, there’s one about baking bread too. Bops’ focus on this particular, peculiar time in our lives makes some tracks feel like time capsules—already!—from earlier eras of the pandemic. There’s an open letter to Elon Musk and Grimez’ oddly named child (“The entire world is on your side,” Danelis assures them), and a jam about Trump’s disinfectant endorsement. But, even in the moments that feel slightly dated—because we’ve been living like this since March?!—they still land warmly, thanks to Danelis’ droll delivery and his simple-yet-effective arrangements.

Quarantine Bops was released August 27, 2020.
Listen to it here.

Anesti Danelis - Quarantine Bops