Weezer’s cover is great, but Namibian-German multimedia artist Max Siedentopf took it to an entirely new level.

More on him in a minute.

Toto’s 1982 smash hit “Africa” continues to reign supreme well into the second decade of the 21st century as a defining, shining example of ’80s music nostalgia. How can someone not like this song? It’s relaxing yet an undeniably powerful anthem for many things, depending on the listener/car or shower singer. One listen to the popular song and it’s easy to discern why we–and by “we” I mean the world–still love this song from back in the pre-Internet era.

So why should the song ever stop playing?

Here’s where the aforementioned multimedia artist Max Siedentopf comes into play.

You’ll see what I did there in another minute.

Max Siedentopf–a fellow “Africa” and Toto fan–visualized the ultimate tribute to this glorious song. In an undisclosed part of the Namib Desert, which is located in southern Africa (the continent, not the song), Mr. Siedentopf installed an art installation of sorts. Similar to the genius simplicity of Randy’s Donuts in Los Angeles, there are six normal looking desktop speakers placed on six white boxes. In the middle is a taller white box with a digital music player that is connected to all six speakers via wires (like the ’80s).

The genius part of multimedia artist Max Siedentopf–aside from the clever idea–is that it’s all powered by solar energy with extreme weather elements in place for technology in a relentlessly sunny desert. So that means, you’ve got that right, Toto’s “Africa” will supposedly play on repeat in this mysterious location in Africa FOREVER.

This is Toto’s “Africa” in 2019:

Max Siedentopf said that this spectacular tribute to Toto is located where “…only the most loyal of Toto fans can find.”

This is damn near brilliant. It’s creatively fitting (except for the Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, and rain parts) with literal staying power for generations and hopefully lifetimes. The grand mystery as to where it’s located, serving as a veritable treasure hunt, mostly makes up for these ommissions.

If you think about it, this tribute to Toto’s “Africa” is a living time capsule. And if you think more about it, this mysteriously placed speaker system proves the power of music as the soundtrack to our lives and our surroundings sans introverted cocooning via technology.

Perhaps part of the purpose of this art installation is asking us to take off our headphones–or introverted nature–and engage with the world again in a more openly joyful, extroverted way like 1980s-something?

Hey, we’ve seen stranger things these days inspired by the 1980s.

P.S. 

This is Toto’s “Africa” music video from 1982. 

And this is Toto’s “Africa” performed by Weezer (with a special guest) in 2018. 

Are you tired of listening to Toto’s “Africa”? Of course not! Thank you for this all-time musical masterpiece, Toto.