News & Press
604 Records To Launch NFT Platform | Newswire
Gives Fans New Opportunities to Experience Music & Content
TORONTO, March 16, 2022 /CNW/ – Today, Vancouver-based 604 Records announced it will launch 604 INFINITE, a NFT platform to give fans a new way to experience their favourite artists at 604records.com.
The fiercely independent label has a history of embracing technology and is excited to be one of the first Canadian record labels to launch a NFT platform. 604 INFINITE will focus on the label’s diverse roster of music artists, album artwork, and associated content spanning over 20 years. 604 Records launched in 2002 with the self-titled Theory of a Deadman album. Since then, it has had numerous successes in various genres including Marianas Trench, Dallas Smith, Coleman Hell, Carly Rae Jepsen, and many others. 604 Records will also collaborate with musicians and artists who aren’t on the label but want to explore a new form of artistic expression and fan connection through NFTs.
604 INFINITE’s first drop will come in the next month, featuring a marquee artist from the 604 label. The coming months will see drops from all of 604’s group of labels including Light Organ Records, Comedy Here Often?, and its new ambient label INTRASET.
“What I see with NFTs and blockchain technology is an art form that has infinite possibilities for artists to express themselves in new and exciting ways, and ways for fans to experience their favourite artists and music in ways they never have before,” says Jonathan Simkin, President of 604 Records. “I see a new way for fans to interact with their favourite artists and their favourite recordings, to discover new artists, and to feel a sense of ownership in the art. And a way for us to breathe new life into artwork and music. It also adds a new revenue stream for artists, many of whom are hurting because of the pandemic.”
604’s foray into the NFT space first began in 2020 through one of Simkin’s management clients, visual artist Mad Dog Jones. Mad Dog was a member of 604 band Coleman Hell, and then transitioned into the visual art world. His NFT piece, REPLICATOR sold for over $4 million USD, setting the record for the highest selling piece of art by a living Canadian. He has also collaborated with producer and DJ, Deadmau5 among others. Following the success of Mad Dog Jones, Simkin started working with other digital artists including FVCKRENDER, Victor Mosquera, Baeige, Carmilla Sumantry and La+ch, and the label is excited to launch this next phase of NFT creation with its music clients.
604 is collaborating with Origin to power its NFT drops. Origin aims to make it easier for creators to sell and collectors to buy NFTs – an approach that aligns with 604’s vision. 604 INFINITE is powered by the Polygon blockchain framework which uses less power to mint NFTs, lessening environmental damage. It also has lower minting costs than typical, which results in lower costs for the buyer. “It was important to go with a platform that would enable us to sell products at a reasonable price, and also in an environmentally responsible way,” says Simkin.
604 INFINITE aims to make the art affordable and accessible to fans. The label will be creating simple how-to and learning resources for music fans who might be intimidated by NFTs and cryptocurrency, and 604 INFINITE will also accept credit card as a form of payment.
For more information, please visit @604INFINITE on Twitter.
About 604 Records:
604 Records may be one of the most successful record labels in Canada, but it’s also an independent label in the truest sense of the word. With a diverse roster and a history that spans over 20 years, 604 has produced hit records and proven itself as a nurturing place for artists to develop at a comfortable pace. 604 artists past and present include: Theory of A Deadman, Carly Rae Jepsen, Coleman Hell, Marianas Trench, Dallas Smith, JoJo Mason, and many others. 604 has now expanded into multiple genres under its imprint labels Light Organ, for alternative music, Comedy Here Often?, for comedy, and new ambient/instrumental label Intraset.
In 2015, 604 opened a new office and studio facility in the Railtown District of Vancouver. The 604 Records building creates a space in which artists can meet, grow, and work together. It’s a hub of activity for artists in Vancouver, and brings writers, musicians, producers and videographers together in a state-of-the-art recording and video production and streaming facility.