Tree63 Releases First Album In Nearly 11 Years, 'Voyage'
Internationally renowned, Dove Award-winning South African rock band Tree63 releases its eighth full-length album, VOYAGE, today (June 26) through Just Music, a label of Next Music Group. The album is available now at streaming and digital outlets everywhere.
After more than a decade-long hiatus, Tree63 brings back its signature, faith-informed rock & roll with founding vocalist, songwriter and guitarist John Ellis at the helm joined by fellow voyagers Angus Warden (drummer) and Deon Knipe (bassist). The trio formed in 2024 following Ellis’s relocating to Cape Town from Durban and a season of teaching English, earning a Master of Arts degree and releasing a solo album.
“These 10 new songs on VOYAGE are notes on the journey, responses to conversations along the road, testaments of someone who survived the hazards of the journey and who is still walking,” reveals Ellis. “I never imagined I would write more Tree63 music after Land (2015), but I secretly hoped I would, because the voyage is never over and there are a lot of stories to tell.”
The newly formed trio began touring throughout South Africa and beyond with new songs organically beginning to develop. Eventually, Ellis had 30 songs to choose from when the opportunity to make a new record arrived. The final 10 tracks on VOYAGE reflect the perspective of an artist who has travelled through victories, disappointments, uncertainty and renewal.
“I am no longer a young believer, singing about the excitement of a life-changing spiritual discovery,” shares Ellis. “I am many miles and victories and defeats down the road. The young man who wrote ‘Look What You’ve Done’ in 1997 is now an adult with an adult’s set of experiences of what it means to walk in The Way.”
Produced by Ellis and renowned South African producer-engineer Dave Langemann at Creative Native Studios in Cape Town, VOYAGE was mastered by Tim Lengfeld at TL Mastering. The resulting album features the title track playing homage to a life built on faith while “Turn for Home” invites back the prodigal. “Ambush” is a song of how God can unexpectedly break into your life as “Fire Goes On” finds a flame of conviction still burning. The album concludes with “Beatitude,” a benediction that sums up the album and Tree63 in 2026.
