604 Records Celebrates Vancouver Music from the 1990s and 2000s with New Imprint

First up on 604 Decades are Movieland and Pure

Vancouver’s 604 Records is celebrating its city’s musical legacy with 604 Decades, an archival imprint highlighting under-appreciated YVR bands from the 1990s and 2000s. First up in the series are Movieland and Pure.

“I love that there’s all these hidden scenes and stories in this city that we can now hold up to the world,” 604 Records founder Jonathan Simkin said in a statement.

Movieland were a Vancouver shoegaze band founded in the ’90s (who aren’t to be confused with the Vancouver indie pop band of the same name, who formed in the 2010s and featured members of Supermoon and Thee AHs). They will release the retrospective compilation Then & Now on December 13, featuring demos and unreleased tracks from their early days.. Simkin called the band’s music “abrasive, but sweetly melodic at the same time.”

The single “I Relate” is out October 22. Meanwhile, Movieland have reformed and are currently prepping new material.

As for alt-rockers Pure, they had a little but more success than Movieland — although getting a push from US major labels still didn’t translate into widespread popularity. Reissuing their music is, in part, a way for Simkin to celebrate guitarist Todd Simko, who died in 2012. “To be able to put out some music that features Todd’s performances on it is honestly a solemn honour,” the label head said.

Details about 604’s Pure reissue are still forthcoming.