South African house music has always been about more than finding the right beat. It is about shared experiences, creative connections and the ability to turn everyday emotions into something people can feel on a dancefloor. For DJ and producer Lebohang Maleke, professionally known as LebtoniQ, that philosophy takes centre stage in his latest project, F4R THE POLOPIANS II.
Released on 30 October 2026 through Soul Candi Records, the 10-track album represents a significant milestone in his career. More than a follow-up to his 2022 project, it captures an artist who has spent the past four years developing his sound, strengthening creative relationships and finding new ways to express himself through music.
Four Years Later, The Sound Has Evolved
The return of F4R THE POLOPIANS feels like a conversation between where LebtoniQ started and where he finds himself today.
The original 14-track album introduced listeners to his deep and soulful house approach, built around melodic expression and a network of collaborators. Its successor revisits that musical identity with a more developed perspective, bringing together personal reflection and the infectious energy that keeps South African house music moving.
Across the 10 tracks, listeners can expect warm percussion, melodic piano arrangements, hypnotic grooves and punchy basslines. The production moves between intimate listening moments and high-energy dancefloor experiences, giving the album room to breathe without losing its rhythm.
It is a reminder that electronic music does not have to sacrifice emotion to make people move.
Banomona Leads The Next Chapter
FOCUS TRACK: LEBTONIQ, NTO MUSICA & SEF PICO – BANOMONA
Leading the album is Banomona, featuring Nto Musica and Sef Pico. The track provides an entry point into the project’s collaborative spirit while placing LebtoniQ’s evolving production style at the forefront.
The choice of a collaborative focus track also reflects something important about South African house music: its strength lies in the connections between artists, producers, vocalists and the communities that support them.
Rather than treating collaboration as an additional feature, LebtoniQ makes it part of the album’s creative identity.
A Mzansi House Music Meeting Point
One of the project’s biggest strengths is its impressive collection of South African talent.
The album features collaborations with recognised names including Oscar Mbo, Chymamusique, C-Blak, Dark Horse and several other contributors.
Each collaboration introduces a different creative perspective, helping the album explore different textures while maintaining a consistent musical direction.
Tracks such as Power Of Music, featuring Oscar Mbo, and Practice What You Preach, featuring Chymamusique, bring together artists whose individual contributions form part of South Africa‘s broader house music conversation.
For the local industry, projects like this also highlight the importance of creative networks. Behind many memorable dancefloor records are relationships built through shared studio sessions, experimentation and a willingness to allow different musical identities to coexist.
A New Chapter With Soul Candi Records
The album also marks LebtoniQ’s first full-length project with Soul Candi Records.
With more than two decades of involvement in South Africa‘s house music industry, the label provides an established platform for a project rooted in the country’s electronic music culture.
The partnership represents another step in LebtoniQ’s development, connecting his sound with a label that has played a role in documenting and supporting the local house music landscape.
Ten Tracks, One Evolving Identity
From Ihlobo with C-Blak to House That, which closes the album as a solo LebtoniQ production, F4R THE POLOPIANS II brings together a collection that celebrates both individual creativity and collective energy.
The album tracklist:
- Ihlobo – LebtoniQ & C-Blak
- Zorora – LebtoniQ, Leroyale & Mr Brown
- Banomona – LebtoniQ, Nto Musica & Sef Pico
- Nobody – LebtoniQ, Dearson & Dark-Horse
- Practice What You Preach – LebtoniQ & Chymamusique
- Power Of Music – LebtoniQ & Oscar Mbo
- Your Luv – LebtoniQ & Z.E.N
- Two People – LebtoniQ & Rosetta D33P
- Eliminate – LebtoniQ & Z.E.N
- House That – LebtoniQ
Ultimately, F4R THE POLOPIANS II is about progression without losing one’s foundation. It reflects an artist embracing new opportunities while remaining connected to the sound and creative relationships that helped shape his journey.
For South African house music lovers, LebtoniQ’s latest chapter offers another reason to keep the volume up and support the local talent continuing to define the country’s sound.
