Time Records

Time Records is an Italian independent record company and label established in Brescia by Giacomo Maiolini in the autumn of 1984. The company became closely associated with the international spread of Italo dance and related European electronic-pop styles during the 1980s, building a catalog around dance singles, studio productions, vocal performers and producer-led recording projects. Its early creative identity was developed with the Farina-Crivellente production partnership, whose work helped define a recognizable strand of commercially oriented Italo dance. During its formative years, Time Records issued releases under its own name and, apart from some early records, operated with distribution through Disco Magic. The relationship with Disco Magic was both commercial and strategic, giving Time access to a wider release network while allowing the Brescia label to concentrate on artist development, production and repertoire. By the middle of the 1980s and through the end of that decade, Time had become one of the prominent labels in the Italo dance field. The label’s roster included Atrium, Danny Keith, Riky Maltese, Aleph, Alan Barry, Virgin, Gipsy & Queen, De Niro and Sophie. It also worked with established or returning figures from the Italo scene, including Fred Ventura, Albert One, Jock Hattle, Stylóo, Rudy & Co., Max Coveri, Rose, Topo & Roby and Silver Pozzoli. A distinctive feature of the catalog was the use of multiple stage names and project identities. Mauro Farina supplied male vocals for a number of projects, including Danny Keith, Atrium, Kajay, Alan Barry, Tension, Max Coveri, Stylóo, De Niro and Fellini. This producer-and-session-vocalist model was common in the era’s dance music and enabled the label to issue a broad range of releases without relying on a single public-facing performer. Clara Moroni joined the company’s creative circle at the end of 1986 and became one of its important female voices, contributing both lead and backing vocals across releases. Laurent Gelmetti began as a recording and sound engineer and replaced Sandro Oliva in 1986, adding continuity to the label’s studio operation. At the end of 1988, Mauro Farina and Crivellente left Time Records to establish Asia Records, marking a significant change in the company’s original production partnership. In 1996, Maiolini moved to establish Self Distribuzione. Time’s broader label family later included Rise, also known as Rise Records. The Rise roster connected the group with a more contemporary international dance market and included artists such as Alex Gaudino, Avicii, Deepswing, Dirty South, Mousse T, Ricky L, Riva Starr and Robbie Rivera. Time’s wider catalog also includes later-associated artists such as Ann Lee, Dhany, Imany, Ken Laszlo, Studio Killers and TJ Davis. The company is therefore best understood as both a historically important Italo dance imprint and an ongoing Italian dance-music label operation with multiple sub-label identities.

Time Records emerged in Brescia, Italy, in the autumn of 1984, when Giacomo Maiolini founded the company and joined forces with the Farina-Crivellente duo as art producers. The label entered a particularly fertile period in Italian dance music, when studio-based production teams, vocalists working under several artist names and short-format dance singles were central to the market. Time’s early identity was shaped by this production culture rather than by a single long-term front-person. Except for some of its earliest releases, the label became associated with distribution through Disco Magic. Disco Magic also served as a partner, giving Time a practical route into the expanding European dance market. By the middle of the 1980s, Time Records had developed into one of the notable Italo dance labels, and its activity remained especially prominent through the end of the decade. The catalog brought together original projects and performers from across the Italo scene. Artists associated with the label included Atrium, Danny Keith, Riky Maltese, Aleph, Alan Barry, Virgin, Gipsy & Queen, De Niro and Sophie. Time also gathered established or influential names such as Fred Ventura, Albert One, Jock Hattle and Stylóo, alongside Rudy & Co., Max Coveri, Rose, Topo & Roby and Silver Pozzoli. These releases reflected the label’s emphasis on melodic electronic dance music and producer-centered studio work. Mauro Farina was particularly important to the production system. He performed male vocals under a succession of project names, among them Danny Keith, Atrium, Kajay, Alan Barry, Tension, Max Coveri, Stylóo, De Niro and Fellini. The practice allowed different musical concepts to be presented as separate artist projects while drawing on overlapping studio personnel. Clara Moroni joined the label’s creative network at the end of 1986 and became one of its principal female voices, also contributing backing vocals and choruses to numerous recordings. Laurent Gelmetti started as a recording and sound engineer and replaced Sandro Oliva in 1986. The original creative partnership changed at the end of 1988, when Farina and Crivellente left Time Records to form Asia Records. This departure represented a substantial reorganization of the label’s production environment, although Time continued as a record company and catalog brand. In 1996, Giacomo Maiolini moved to establish Self Distribuzione, another important change in the company’s business and distribution trajectory. Time’s stable later included Rise, also referred to as Rise Records. Through Rise, the wider operation became connected with a newer generation of international house and electronic dance artists, including Alex Gaudino, Avicii, Deepswing, Dirty South, Mousse T, Ricky L, Riva Starr and Robbie Rivera. The broader list of artists associated with Time and its affiliated labels also includes Ann Lee, Dhany, Imany, Ken Laszlo, Studio Killers and TJ Davis. The surviving public record describes Time Records primarily through its catalog, label relationships and artist history rather than through detailed corporate disclosures. Its historical importance rests on its contribution to the international circulation of Italian dance music and on the durability of its label and repertoire identities.

• 1996

  Maiolini establishes Self Distribuzione

  [1]Time Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Giacomo Maiolini moved to establish Self Distribuzione, altering the distribution context around the label.

• 1988

  Farina and Crivellente depart

  [1]Time Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Mauro Farina and Crivellente left Time Records at the end of the year to establish Asia Records.

• 1986

  Studio and vocal team expands

  [1]Time Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Laurent Gelmetti replaced Sandro Oliva as recording and sound engineer, while Clara Moroni joined the label’s creative circle toward the end of the year.

• 1984

  Time Records is founded

  [1]Time Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Giacomo Maiolini founded Time Records in Brescia and initially worked with Farina-Crivellente as art producers.

An Italian independent dance-music company known for its major role in the 1980s Italo dance scene and for maintaining a broader electronic and international dance repertoire through affiliated labels.

• Record label · 1984

  Time Records

  The flagship label and catalog of the company, focused particularly on Italian dance, Italo dance and electronic-pop releases. Its 1980s repertoire included projects associated with Atrium, Danny Keith, Aleph, Alan Barry, Gipsy & Queen, De Niro, Sophie and numerous other performers and producer identities.

• Dance-music label

  Rise

  An affiliated label also known as Rise Records. Rise broadened the group’s presence in international electronic and house music, with artists listed in connection with the label including Alex Gaudino, Avicii, Deepswing, Dirty South, Mousse T, Riva Starr and Robbie Rivera.

• 1996

  Maiolini establishes Self DistribuzioneStrategy

  Background

  After years in which Time releases were associated with Disco Magic distribution and partnership arrangements, the company’s founder moved to create a separate distribution operation.

  Action taken

  Giacomo Maiolini established Self Distribuzione in 1996.

  Aftermath

  The move marked a change in the distribution structure connected with Time Records, although the label and its catalog continued to be identified with Italian and international dance music.

  Source

1. 1Time Recordsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Time Records at Discogsdiscogs.com