You might enjoy the song “Africa” from Toto, the Grammy-winning rock band that ruled the Billboard charts in the late 1970s and early 1980s. But after hearing YouTuber Seth Everman’s spin on “Africa,” you’ll probably have an even deeper appreciation for Toto’s only No. 1 hit.
That’s because Everman takes the song, which is synthesizer-heavy enough to feel definitively tied to the early 1980s, and plays it with every sound and beat that his own synth will produce. The result—a version of “Africa” that’s a combination of R&B, Jamaican steelpan, and Latin music (with a Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” drum fill in there for good measure)—is a tune that actually sounds good across a number of different genres.
Perhaps Toto overall doesn’t get the respect it deserves—the band certainly seems to think that’s the case—and maybe people think the band is a little schlocky or a little too close to yacht rock. But as Everman proves, the song works pretty darn well if you play it in many different styles.
