c/o the artist
Perhaps we will eventually tire of Toto's gargantuan 1982 soft rock hit "Africa." Maybe, in the future, we will struggle to explain to our children why it was the most streamed song on the internet in 2017. Or we may be asked why Weezer covered the song in 2018, jumping to the top of the iTunes charts and the coveted No. 69 spot on Noisey's song-of-the-year list.But today is not that day. No, today is the day that we appreciate this sound installation in the Namib Desert, which will play Toto's "Africa" on loop for all of eternity.It was set up by 27-year-old German-Namibian artist Max Siedentopf, who said that he wanted to pay Toto's song "the ultimate homage" by leaving it on permanent loop. The installation comprises six solar-powered speakers, all hooked up to an iPod that contains but one song. "Some [Namibians] love it and some say it's probably the worst sound installation ever," Siedentopf told the BBC. "I think that's a great compliment."If you have a lot of time on your hands—or if you live near the Namib Desert—Siedentopf has drawn up this only somewhat helpful map to guide you to the music. Just try to check the installation out before eternity catches up with it. "Most parts of the installation were chosen to be as durable as possible, but I'm sure the harsh environment of the desert will devour the installation eventually," he told the BBC.Alex Robert Ross is [keyboard solo] on Twitter.
Advertisement