South African hard rockin’ punk rock band Lefokolodi will release their debut EP, The Milk Was Finished Cos We Were Thirsty, on May 23, 2025. Recorded at Pariah Studios with Evert Snyman, the EP is a raw and chaotic blend of punk, metal, funk, and rock—reflecting both the personalities of its members and the sounds of their musical idols.
“We decided not to use metronomes so we could keep that raw, human energy,” the band says of the recording process. “We started by recording the instrumentals live as a band, then layered the vocals on top. It was loud, messy, honest — and exactly what we were going for.”
The five-track EP is built from jam sessions and long writing days. Some of the songs have already been part of Lefokolodi’s live shows, with strong reception prompting the decision to finally record them. “It’s a love letter to our fans and our heroes,” they write. “It’s raw, it’s us, it’s love, it’s confidence. It oozes each of the homies’ personalities — it’s Lefokolodi.”
Thematically, the release is about self-love, truth, and health, but it doesn’t come across as preachy. It’s more of a loud affirmation, with the band stating simply: “Be genuine, be yourself, love yourself, take care of your health. And say everything with your chest.”
The visual side of the release is just as layered. Estevan van Wyk created the character-based single art for Butthurt and Snake dick, likened by the band to a “Jamie Hewlett” of their own. The main EP cover was handled by street artist Anser, who integrated the same characters with his signature aesthetic. “We love visuals and we love artists, so we had a couple of homies help us out with some dope pieces,” they explain. “The variety in styles kinda matches the music.”
Each track holds its own, but also contributes to the bigger picture of the band’s identity.
Butthurt is their take on the classic heartbreak anthem—somewhere between pop-punk and heavy breakdowns. “Shinesh structured a beauty here and let’s just all give Yakean a big hug for coming up with that breakdown.”
Mozzie kicks off with a funky bassline from Sid and functions as a kind of live set intro. Written by Lerato, the lyrics deal with moving on from toxic relationships: “He’s around good people now though,” the band adds.
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Snake dick doesn’t bother with subtlety, in title or tone. “Yes, the title could’ve been a little tamer,” they admit, “but the bars on this are just too dope. Profanity is an extension of any language after all… This is us being bragadocious. ‘We’re beasts, we’re dons, we’re kings.’”
Zaza is the band “at super saiyian.” With erratic structure and shifts, it’s a colorful, stoned celebration of self. “I don’t know about you, but I love my weed,” the chorus declares. “Sid is doing tappy things, Shinesh’s guitar is saying ‘wow’ a lot and Yakean is concentrating very hard.”
8 tit bitties covers mental health and personal growth. “This one’s about being glad to find out how to live.” The sound draws from Queens of the Stone Age and Slipknot, pairing aggressive riffing with moments of sonic space. “Yeah… Sid, Shinesh and Yakean cooked on this one.”
Lefokolodi consistently credits their local scene as the foundation of everything they do.
“We grow with the scene and its support,” says drummer Yakean. “They have always been there when we’ve needed them most.”
“The scene’s been so embracing from the moment we entered it,” adds vocalist Lerato. “I also think it’s wild that we’re meeting such dope musicians, watching them blow my mind only to hear them say I did the same.”
Their list of shoutouts runs long: Aura Electric, Ruff Majik, Middlegrounds, Sunken State, Drumfish, Cistamatic, Medicine Dolls, Mouse, Poster Boy. “Trust us there’s more. We love and appreciate you all.”
Their top ten artists paint the full picture—Drumfish, Alice In Chains, Rage Against The Machine, Sepultura, Bad Brains, Avenged Sevenfold, Infant Annihilator, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slipknot, Foo Fighters. These references are more than just genre markers—they’re the skeleton of the sound Lefokolodi is building on.
The band says they’re already writing new material. “Let’s see what steel this scene has forged us into.” In the meantime, The Milk Was Finished Cos We Were Thirsty stands as a time capsule of the band’s early evolution—chaotic, heartfelt, and stubbornly honest.
