Shoegaze survivors and sonic revivalists MOVIELAND are officially back in action with a brand-new album, ‘Now & Then’—out now via 604 Records. If their name sounds familiar, you might’ve caught last year’s reissue ‘Then & Now,’ which reintroduced their dreamy, reverb-drenched sound to a whole new crowd. This time, though, it’s not a reissue—it’s the real deal. New material, same magnetic vibe.
This album wasn’t originally part of the plan. When 604’s Jonathan Simkin approached frontman Alan D. Boyd about re-releasing the band’s early work for the label’s Decades series, Boyd pitched something more. “I asked if he’d be interested in me recording a few new tracks for a follow-up release,” he says. “He said yes and gave me a budget for an EP. Of course, I went and recorded an album.”
That album is ‘Now & Then’—a collection of songs pulled from different decades, cities, and creative headspaces. Some were written in ’90s basements, others were unfinished demos waiting for the right moment, and a couple came together just days before recording. Boyd started tracking in his old London studio, then finished things off in Edmonton and Vancouver, calling in collaborators from both sides of the Atlantic.
Contributors include Rex Roulette (Eagles of Death Metal), Freddie Cowan (The Vaccines), Ev Laroi (Idyl Tea), and Tom Murray (Old Reliable), alongside longtime MOVIELAND members John and Clancy, who added drums and bass remotely. “It was the last big project I completed in my studio,” says Boyd. “So it feels pretty special to me.”
The album’s lead single, Just a Second, is a two-minute alt-rock rush that came together fast. “It was written in about ten minutes while I was messing with a new tuning,” Boyd says. “We demoed it immediately, then recorded it in three takes.” The video—directed by Charlene Rule—features Boyd’s niece’s band DIVYNE, his nephew as the main character, and a mashup of early 2000s New York footage.
Other album highlights include:
- “Save My Soul”, originally tracked on an 8-track in a Nottingham basement in 1998, now reworked with vocals by Charlene Rule and guitar by Freddie Cowan.
- “C’mon Let’s Go”, a driving, road trip-ready track about freedom and the open road.
- “Latin Quarter”, a swirling, romantic nod to Paris nights, obsession, and poetic longing, with guitar from Rex Roulette and a guerrilla-style video shot on the streets of Paris.
You can stream ‘Now & Then’ or grab it on Bandcamp:
Stream the album
Order the album on Bandcamp
Formed in 1991, MOVIELAND built their name on lush guitar textures, hypnotic rhythms, and melancholic melodies. Their sound still pulls from shoegaze staples like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and The Jesus and Mary Chain—but there’s a punch of post-punk energy and indie rock immediacy that keeps things fresh.
“It’s been fun playing a few shows mixing in the old and new tunes,” Boyd says. “Trying to do it solo has made me rethink how to recreate those layers with just guitar and voice. But we did a show in my hometown [Edmonton] with a full band, and it kinda knocked it out of the park. I hope I can get out and play more of this—both solo and with a band. Plus, I’ve got 15 more songs ready to go… so let’s see where it goes.”
Discover more about MOVIELAND:
604 Records: www.604records.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MOVIELANDband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/movielandband
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/6VFQ1YUZsKowCvVfmyddsG
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