The Elovaters

With roots in Boston, the reggae group the Elovaters favor an understated, relaxed style built around tight musicianship and subtle experiments in dub. Their persistent road work paid off commercially when the 2018 sophomore release Defy Gravity climbed to the top of Billboard's Reggae Albums chart. Subsequent projects such as the wide-ranging Castles in 2021 and Endless Summer in 2023 further broadened their audience.

The band took shape in 2014 when singer/guitarist Jackson Wetherbee joined forces with lead guitarist John Alves, bassist Matt Link, drummer Nick Asta, keyboardist Greg Nectow, and percussionist Derrick Cabral. Emerging from the East Coast reggae circuit, they refined their approach and gradually widened their reach before issuing their first album, The Cornerstone, in 2017. Bright melodies and clear, natural production defined the record, which entered the Billboard reggae chart at number nine and established their foundational sound. Additional touring included opening dates for Ziggy Marley, the Movement, and Stick Figure, plus appearances at major festivals. Enlisting producer Danny Kalb and the RootFire Cooperative, the Elovaters pursued a denser sonic palette on Defy Gravity, which topped both the Reggae Albums and iTunes Reggae charts. Two years afterward they issued Defy Dub, a collaborative reworking that incorporated dub mixes by E.N. Young, Victor Rice, and Johnny Cosmic, among others.

Following their contribution of a cover of Sublime's "Get Ready" to the 2021 Bradley Nowell tribute The House That Bradley Built, the Elovaters partnered with producer Johnny Cosmic of Stick Figure to track Castles. The August release arrived on the band's own Belly Full imprint and marked a deliberate shift toward singer/songwriter material. Guests including Brother Ali and G Love & Special Sauce appeared, and the album moved away from the reggae emphasis of earlier work. In 2022 the Elovaters received Artist of the Year and Live Act of the Year awards at the New England Music Awards before traveling to Texas to cut their fourth album, Endless Summer, at Sonic Ranch studio. Once again produced by Blues Project guitarist Danny Kalb, the set surfaced in 2023 and reached number 21 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart.