MFS (label)

{{infobox record label

| image = 200px

| parent =

| founded = 1990

| founder = Mark Reeder

| distributor =

| genre = {{hlist|Trance|techno|ambient|electronic rock}}

| country = {{GER}}

| location = Berlin, Germany

| url = [https://www.facebook.com/mfsberlin/ MFS Official Facebook] [https://mfsberlin.com/ MFS Official Site]

}}

MFS (Masterminded For Success) is an independent electronic dance music label from Berlin, Germany. Founded by Mark Reeder in 1990, it initially ran until 2008, when Reeder put the label on ice to concentrate on his own music production and remixer career. Reeder reactivated the label in 2018, specifically to release the album Fragment by Chinese band STOLEN.Electronic Sound Magazine Issue 47 (https://electronicsound.co.uk/) p.4

The label was originally founded by "Deutsche Schallplatten Berlin" the former GDR record company, which made it the very first independent dance music label of East Germany, until the DSB closed down in 1993. After which, Mark Reeder and his partner Torsten Jurk took MFS and carried on as a fully independent label, to launch the careers and release music by some of electronic dance music's seminal artists.

MFS is considered to be one of, if not the first trance label, as it was to be the first to coin the term "trance music",{{cite web |work = skileta |url = http://www.selekta.com/content/templates/interviews_template.aspx?articleid=454&zoneid=8 |title = Mark Reeder Interview |accessdate = 2009-03-18 |date = 2007-02-17 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070316033909/http://www.selekta.com/content/templates/interviews_template.aspx?articleid=454&zoneid=8 |archive-date = 2007-03-16 |url-status = dead }} and today, is seen by few as a traditional underground label due to its commercial success. Its main focus from the beginning was trance music, but soon started to release a wide variety of different music within the electronic genres. MFS helped to start many now famous artists at the early stages of their careers such as, Paul van Dyk, Harald Blüchel (Cosmic Baby), Johnny Klimek, Ellen Allien, Dr. Motte, Mijk van Dijk, Humate (Gerret Frerichs, Oliver Huntemann), as well as many others.[https://www.zitty.de/mark-reeder-hat-den-technoiden-klang-berlins-geformt/?acn-reloaded=1/Mark Reeder hat den technoiden Klang Berlins geformt] zitty.de 20 September 2018

History

=1990s, MFS - Masterminded For Success=

In December 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the communist state-owned ex-Amiga record label aka Deutschen Schallplatten Berlin (DSB) followed Mark Reeder's suggestion in founding an electronic music record label "Masterminded For Success". Reeder had already built up a working relationship with the AMIGA/DSB, during the recording of the album "Torture" for East German indie band, Die Vision in East Berlin while the Berlin Wall was still up.

The name "MFS" was actually taken from the initials of Ministry for State Security(German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, MfS), commonly known as the Stasi in East Germany.

The label was originally started by Reeder and the distribution was run by Mirko Withfield.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvformats.com/mirko.html|title = TvFormats – About us}} Reeder brought in Torsten Jurk and Matt Graver, who shortly after left the label to become the manager of Atari Teenage Riot.Alec Empire

After the collapse of DSB and the sale to BMG in the late 1993, Reeder and Jurk secured all the rights on the label name and catalogue, which had originally been funded by the DSB.

The first artist to be signed on the label was Rocky, followed by VOOV, Paul Browse, and Johnny Klimek known as "Effective Force" and Gaby Delgado from DAF and Saba Komossa's "2 German Latinos", and "Neutron 9000". MFS soon started to gain a "trance" profile and in early 1991 soon signed Mijk van Dijk, Cosmic Baby, Humate and Paul van Dyk. Reeder's vision to create a melodic, uplifting and positive sounding version of Techno was eventually to be realised by Cosmic Baby. One of the most known projects under MFS was, "The Visions of Shiva", a collaboration by Cosmic Baby (Harald Blüchel) & Paul van Dyk. Together they released, "Perfect Day" & "How Much Can You Take?" before going their separate ways in 1993. Another one of MFS more well-known releases was "Love Stimulation" by Humate in 1993, along with a remix by Paul van Dyk.

Taken from the previous years releases, MFS released the first ever Trance compilation in 1992 called, Tranceformed From Beyond which became a milestone and set the standard for others to come. The album was sequenced and mixed by Cosmic Baby & Mijk van Dijk. A year later, MFS asked Paul van Dyk to make a mix for their second compilation album, a soundtrack for an early computer graphic video which they called "X-Mix 1 - The MFS Trip" this was a collaboration with the video label K7!.

Some of the more well-known albums from MFS were, "Stellar Supreme"(1992), "Ki"(1993) by 030/Dr Motte, "Afreuropamericasiaustralica"(1994) by Mijk van Dijk and Paul van Dyk's "45 RPM"(1994) and "Seven Ways"(1996) albums. Both PVD & Cosmic Baby became MFS main artists, but in 1994 Cosmic Baby left the label, allured by promises of stardom from the major record company BMG.

Reeder started signing more underground artists and tracks, while Jurk focused on Paul van Dyk artist development and implementing a booking agency and publishing into the label work.

During the mid-late 1990s, Paul van Dyk would later become a huge commercial success for MFS. He released his first two albums and stayed with MFS up until 1997, when Reeder and Jurk parted away.

Reeder who continued the label later faced a lawsuit with Paul van Dyk over his third studio album, which turned out to be "Out There and Back"MUZIK issue March 2000 - Paul van Dyk vs. MFS court case which was eventually released on Rob Deacon's Deviant Records UK.

=2000s, Discontinuation=

After 1999, the dance scene was starting shift into a new direction, most importantly trance was as well.

MFS later had trouble releasing other kinds of records other than trance and because of the change and rise of many trance labels at the end of the 20th century. Reeder decided he wanted to distance himself from trance and focus more on other genres, mainly techno and a new deeper, sexier sound he had devised and created with Corvin Dalek, which he called Wet & Hard. In 1999, MFS created two sub-labels called, "Flesh" and "Telemetric". The focus on the "Flesh" label was Wet & Hard[http://selekta.com/content/templates/interviews_template.aspx?articleid=454&zoneid=9/ The man behind the curtain]{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}selekta.com. and "Telemetric" was mainly techno, including some deeper trance releases.

The "Telemetric" label was very short lived (after the suspicious murder of the labels A&R Carlos Heinz in late 2001) and therefore never reached commercial success.

Label "Flesh" however, went on to release some great and highly controversial tracks by artists like Corvin Dalek (who Reeder worked together on many remixes with for artists such as New Order, Destiny's Child, Da Hool, or Faithless), "Mr Sam", "Eiven Major", "Klang" and "Jan Kessler". "Flesh" records are rare and most sought after these days and are easily recognised through their distinctive "HotKunst" (hot art) artwork style which Reeder and Dalek created and which frequently caused controversy, one CD "Assorted Lovetoys was even banned in Switzerland.[http://www.discogs.com/Corvin-Dalek-Assorted-Lovetoys/release/208680/ Corvin Dalek ].discogs.com.

The "Flesh" label released some classic club tracks, such as "Young People", "Pounds & Penz", "Pornoground", "Crystal" or "I Like It 69", culminating in a series of "Flesh" Wet&Hard compilations ("Wet&Hard", "Flesh For Fantasy" or "Feel") and Corvin Dalek's album "I Am A Dalek". With this album, Mark travelled the world together with Corvin Dalek, from Colombia to China, USA, Mexico and UK and almost everywhere in between.[http://www.myspace.com/markreedermfsflesh/ Mark Reeder's Official myspace].

Sadly, due to the demise of many of the main European vinyl distributors in 2000, label owner Reeder decided to put MFS and his sub-labels on ice and ceased all label activity in 2008.[http://www.discogs.com/label/Flesh Flesh & MFS].discogs.com. He wanted to return to making and producing electronic-rock music again.

=2018, Reactivated=

After releasing two albums FivePointOne (2011) and Mauerstadt (2017), Reeder's reworks with Blank & Jones for Reordered (2008) as well as numerous remixes for bands like New Order, Depeche Mode and the Pet Shop Boys. In the Spring of 2017, Reeder undertook a two-month tour of China with his documentary film "B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin", a movie made up of original 80's footage, about his early life in the walled-in city. During this tour, he was introduced to STOLEN, a young Psychedelic-Techno-Rock band from Chengdu. Impressed, they recorded a demo together and the band decided they would like Reeder to produce their second album. STOLEN then embarked on a 32-week tour of China to acquire enough funds for their stay in Berlin.

Together with Reeder and his studio partner Micha Adam, STOLEN recorded the album FRAGMENT in 2018. It was after this recording session, Reeder decided to reactivate MFS, especially for the release of this album.Mark Reeder[http://www.electricityclub.co.uk/introducing-stolen/ introducing STOLEN]"electricity.co.uk" 12 October 2018[https://louderthanwar.com/stolen-are-a-brilliant-new-tech-pop-band-from-china-who-are-working-with-the-legendary-berlin-based-mark-reeder/ Mark Reeder interview] "louderthanwar.com" 16 October 2018

Reeder originally starting MFS as a label platform for new and enthusiastic Eastern European artists, he had now moved his search for interesting artists in the Far East.

Discography

catalogue #  format  artist                                          medium title

7001-0 12" Rocky One Take You Back

7001-3 CD-M Rocky One Take You Back

7002-0 12" VOOV User

7002-3 CD-M VOOV User

7003-0 12" Effective Force Diamond Bullet

7003-3 CD-M Effective Force Diamond Bullet

7004-0 12" Gundi B Yeah!

7004-3 CD-M Gundi B Yeah!

7005-0 12" General Motor I'm gonna give you my Love

7005-3 CD-M General Motor I'm gonna give you my Love

7006-0 12" 2 German Latinos Viva la Droga Electronica

7006-3 CD-M 2 German Latinos Viva la Droga Electronica

7007-0 12" Alien Nation Lovers of the World

7007-0R 12" Alien Nation Lovers of the World Remix

7007-3 CD-M Alien Nation Lovers of the World

7008-0 12" True Love Breath of Stars

7008-3 CD-M True Love Breath of Stars

7009-0 12" Frisco Sisco Fast Forward

7009-3 CD-M Frisco Sisco Fast Forward

7010-0 12" Neutron 9000 Ki Oha Girl

7010-3 CD-M Neutron 9000 Ki Oha Girl

7011-0 12" Effective Force Complete Mental Breakdown

7011-3 CD-M Effective Force Complete Mental Breakdown

7012-0 12" Sungods Ascension

7012-3 CD-M Sungods Ascension

7013-3 CD-M Delkom All from Anti-time

7014-0 12" Cosmic Baby Transcendental Overdrive EP

7014-3 CD-M Cosmic Baby Transcendental Overdrive EP

7015-0 12" Neutron 9000 vs The Mysteries of Science Tranceplant

7015-3 CD-M Neutron 9000 vs The Mysteries of Science Tranceplant

7016-0 12" VOOV GAS

7016-3 CD-M VOOV GAS

7017-0 12" Futurhythm Sonic Mind Explosion

7018-0 12" Mindgear Don't Panic

7018-3 CD-M Mindgear Don't Panic

7019-0 12" Microglobe High on Hope

7019-3 CD-M Microglobe High on Hope

7020-0 12" Cosmic Baby GTO Remixes Cosmic Babies

7021-1 LP MFS Compilation Tranceformed From Beyond

7021-2 CD MFS Compilation Tranceformed From Beyond

7022-0 12" The Visions of Shiva Perfect Day

7022-3 CD-M The Visions of Shiva Perfect Day

7023-1 12"EP Cosmic Baby 23

7023-2 CD-EP Cosmic Baby 23

7024-0 12" God's Brain Virtual Love

7024-3 CD-M God's Brain Virtual Love

7025-1 12"EP Microglobe High on Hope (The Summer Remixes)

7025-2 CD-EP Microglobe High on Hope (The Summer Remixes)

7026-1 12"EP United Frequencies of Trance Vol. 1

7026-2 CD-EP United Frequencies of Trance Vol. 1

7027-1 12"EP United Frequencies of Trance Vol. 2

7027-2 CD-EP United Frequencies of Trance Vol. 2

7028-0 12" Volumina Alright

7028-3 CD-M Volumina Alright

7029-0 12" Humate Chrome (So what!)

7029-3 CD-M Humate Chrome (So what!)

7030-1 LP The Nights of Pan Into The Great White Light

7030-2 CD The Nights of Pan Into The Great White Light

7031-1 12"EP United Frequencies of Vol. 3

7031-2 CD-EP United Frequencies of Vol. 3

7032-1 12"EP United Frequencies of Vol. 4

7032-2 CD-EP United Frequencies of Vol. 4

7033-1 LP Cosmic Baby Stellar Supreme

7033-2 CD Cosmic Baby Stellar Supreme

7034-0 12" Humate Love Stimulation

7034-3 CD-M Humate Love Stimulation

7035-2 CD VOOV Deutschfieber

7036-0 12" Boom Operators LSA

7036-3 CD-M Boom Operators LSA

7037-0 12" Loopzone Home Is Where The ...

7037-3 CD-M Loopzone Home Is Where The ...

7038-1 LP Effective Force Illuminate The Planet

7038-2 CD Effective Force Illuminate The Planet

7040-1 12"EP Malaria Delirium

7040-2 CD Malaria Delirium

7041-0 12" Cosmic Baby Heavens Tears

7041-3 CD-M Cosmic Baby Heavens Tears

7042-0 12" The Visions Of Shiva How Much Can You Take

7042-3 CD-M The Visions Of Shiva How Much Can You Take

7043-0 12" Loopzone 404

7043-3 CD-M Loopzone 404

7044-0 12" Effective Force Illuminate The Planet

7044-3 CD-M Effective Force Illuminate The Planet

7045-1 LP Various MFS Artists X-Mix 1 The MFS-Trip

7045-2 CD Various MFS Artists X-Mix 1 The MFS-Trip

7045-4 Cass Various MFS Artists X-Mix 1 The MFS-Trip

7046-1 LP 030 feat. Dr. Motte Ki

7046-2 CD 030 feat. Dr. Motte Ki

7047-0 12" Secret Knowledge Sugar Daddy

7048-0 12" Secret Knowledge Sugar Daddy Remix

7048-3 CD-M Secret Knowledge Sugar Daddy Remix

7049-0 12" Sarin International Kontrol

7050-0 12" Microglobe Think & Dance EP-Vol.1

7050-3 CD-M Microglobe Think & Dance EP-Vol. 1

7051-0 12" Cal-Q-Lator Dr. Bradford

7051-3 CD-M Cal-Q-Lator Dr. Bradford

7052-0 12" Paul van Dyk The Green Valley E.P.

7052-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk The Green Valley E.P.

7053-0 12" Mystic Force vs. Effective Force Everglade

7053-3 CD-M Mystic Force vs. Effective Force Everglade

7054-0 12" Positive Thinking Infinite

7054-3 CD-M Positive Thinking Infinite

7055-1 Do-LP Microglobe Afreuropamericasiaustralica

7055-2 CD Microglobe Afreuropamericasiaustralica

7056-0 12" Paul van Dyk Pumpin'

7056-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk Pumpin'

7057-0 12" Microglobe Think & Dance EP-Vol. 2

7057-3 CD-M Microglobe Think & Dance EP-Vol. 2

7058-0 12" Project Earth Tak Ze

7058-3 CD-M Project Earth Tak Ze

7059-0 12" VOOV Extra Power & Enjoyment

7059-3 CD-M VOOV Extra Power & Enjoyment

7060-0 12" Mystic Force Psychic Harmony

7060-3 CD-M Mystic Force Psychic Harmony

7062-0 12" Paul van Dyk Emergency

7062-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk Emergency

7063-0 12" Commander Krilly Deep

7063-3 CD-M Commander Krilly Deep

7064-0 12" Joe T. Vanelli feat. Csilla Voices In Harmony

7064-3 CD-M Joe T. Vanelli feat. Csilla Voices In Harmony

7065-0 12" Effective Force My Time Is Yours

7065-3 CD-M Effective Force My Time Is Yours

7066-1 Do-LP Paul van Dyk 45 RPM

7066-2 CD Paul van Dyk 45 RPM

7067-0 12" Positive Thinking Hots For You

7067-3 CD-M Positive Thinking Hots For You

7068-0 12" VOOV Grau 1

7068-3 CD-M VOOV Grau 1

7069-1 Do-LP Mystic Force Frontier

7069-2 CD Mystic Force Frontier

7071-0 12" Cal-Q-Lator Wash Malfunction

7071-3 CD-M Cal-Q-Lator Wash Malfunction

7072-0 12" Microglobe The Afreuroparemixes Vol. 1-A Different View

7073-0 12" Jay Ray Activated

7073-3 CD-M Jay Ray Activated

7074-0 12" Ellen Allien Yellow Sky

7074-3 CD-M Ellen Allien Yellow Sky

7075-0 12" DFM You Like That?

7075-3 CD-M DFM You Like That?

7076-0 12" Positive Thinking The Temple And The Lodge

7076-3 CD-M Positive Thinking The Temple And The Lodge

7077-0 12" Effective Force Left Hand, Right Hand

7077-3 CD-M Effective Force Left Hand, Right Hand

7078-0 12" Microglobe Afreuroparemixes Vol. 2

7079-2 CD Microglobe Afreuroparemixes

7080-2 CD Various MFS Artists Club European (Compilation)

7080-4 Cass Various MFS Artists Club European

7081-0 12" Marco Zaffarano Pandora's Box

7081-3 CD-M Marco Zaffarano Pandora's Box

7082-1 Do-LP Effective Force Back and to the Left

7082-2 CD Effective Force Back and to the Left

7083-0 12" Commander Krilly Raptures Of The Deep

7083-3 CD-M Commander Krilly Raptures Of The Deep

7084-0 12" Denki Groove (Takkyu Ishino) Niji - The MFS Remixes

7084-3 CD-M Denki Groove (Takkyu Ishino) Niji - The MFS Remixes

7085-0 12" Jay Ray Nightvisions

7085-3 CD-M Jay Ray Nightvisions

7086-0 12" Cybersecrecy The First Experience

7086-3 CD-M Cybersecrecy The First Experience

7087-0 12" Paul van Dyk Beautiful Place

7087-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk Beautiful Place

7088-1 Do-LP Paul van Dyk Seven Ways

7088-2 CD Paul van Dyk Seven Ways

7089-0 12" Cybersecrecy Infinite Senses

7089-3 CD-M Cybersecrecy Infinite Senses

7090-0 12" Tenth Chapter Wired

7090-3 CD-M Tenth Chapter Wired

7091-1 Do-LP Cal-Q-Lator Cal-Pillin

7091-2 CD Cal-Q-Lator Cal-Pillin

7092-0 12" Current Tide / Plankton

7092-3 CD-M Current Tide / Plankton

7093-0 12" Cle presents Klubland??? Klub Berlin

7093-3 CD-M Cle presents Klubland Klub Berlin

7094-0 12" JonZon TBA

7094-3 CD-M JonZon TBA

7095-0 12" DFM Gonna Be Mine

7095-3 CD-M DFM Gonna Be Mine

7096-0 12" Marco Zaffarano Clown Confusion

7096-3 CD-M Marco Zaffarano Clown Confusion

7097-2 CD Marco Zaffarano He was once a beautiful woman

7098-0 12" Denki Groove Niji - Twilight Remixes

7098-3 CD-M Denki Groove Niji - Twilight Remixes

7099-0 12" Ten Forward Patterns Of Force

7099-3 CD-M Ten Forward Patterns Of Force

7100-1 Do-LP Various MFS Artists The 100 Compilation

7100-2 CD Various MFS Artists The 100 Compilation

7101-0 12" Cal-Q-Lator Can We Go Now ?

7102-0 12" Drop Out Image

7103-1 Do-LP Jay Ray November

7103-2 CD Jay Ray November

7104-2 CD Sub-D Exaspirin

7105-0 12" Jay Ray Daylight

7105-3 CD-M Jay Ray Daylight

7106-0 12" Paul van Dyk Forbidden Fruit

7106-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk Forbidden Fruit - Part 1

7109-0 12" Angelo Funkdamental

7110-0 12" Sunday Club Healing Dream

7111-0 12" Lucky Monkeys Bjango

7112-2 CD Various Artists Assorted

7113-0 12" Joshua Soul Fly

7114-0 12" Marco Zaffarano The Band

7114-3 CD-M Marco Zaffarano The Band

7115-0 12" Paul van Dyk Words Part I

7115-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk Words Part I

7116-2 Do-CD Paul van Dyk Perspective

7117-0 12" Jay Ray Arctic Survival Remixes

7117-3 CD-M Jay Ray Arctic Survival Remixes

7118-2 CD Assorted 2 E for Europe

7118-7 MD Assorted 2 E for Europe

7119-0 12" Cybersecrecy Polygraph

7120-1 Do-LP Cybersecrecy Cyberwelt

7120-2 CD Cybersecrecy Cyberwelt

7122-6 12" Chris Zippel Riders of the Storm

7125-6 12" Cybersecrecy E for Europe

7126-1 Do-LP Marco Zaffarano Minimalism

7126-2 Do-CD Marco Zaffarano Minimalism

7127-0 12" Marco Zaffarano Screamer

7128-0 12" Ashtrax Kafka

7129-0 12" Curve Chinese Burn

7130-6 12" Marco Zaffarano Burnt

7132-6 12" Arrakis Aira Force

7133-6 12" Corvin Dalek Pounds&Penz

7134-6 12" Namito Lotus

7135-6 12" Marmion Best Regards

7137-0 12" Jay Ray Sure Shot

7138-6 12" Blue Amazon No other Love

7140-6 12" Cabala Dark Blue

7141-1 Do-LP Ohm Square Ohmophonica

7141-2 CD Ohm Square Ohmophonica

7142-0 12" Ohm Square Pillow

7142-3 CD-M Ohm Square Pillow

7144-6 12" Jonny Riko Starship Trooper

7146-6 12" Denki Groove Niji Rainbow Rmx

7147-6 12" Dillinger & Capone Stendahl Syndrome

7150-2 CD Assorted 3 Stadtansichten

9050-0 12" Microglobe Think & Dance EP-Vol.1

9052-0 12" Paul van Dyk The Green Valley E.P.

9066-1 10" Paul van Dyk 45 Remixes Per Miunute

9066-2 Do-CD Paul van Dyk 45 RPM

9069-2 Do-CD Mystic Force Frontier

9082-2 Do-CD Effective Force Back and to the Left

9088-2 Do-CD Paul van Dyk Seven Ways

9103-2 Do-CD Jay Ray November

9106-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk Forbidden Fruit - Part 2

9114-0 12" Marco Zaffarano The Band UK Import

9115-0 12" Paul van Dyk Words Part II

9115-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk Words Part II

9180-0 10" Mijk van Dijk / Positive Thinking European Compilation

9280-0 10" Paul van Dyk / Cal-Q-Lator European Compilation

9380-0 10" Mystic Force / Effective Force / Project Earth European Compilation

9480-0 10" Marco Zaffarano / Jay Ray European Compilation

9580-0 10" Ellen Allien / Cybersecrecy European Compilation

9680-0 10" Commander Krilly / VOOV European Compilation

1001-9 Poster MFS Wir sind zurück

1002-9 Poster Cosmic Baby Stellar Supreme

1003-9 Poster Microglobe Afreuropamericasia

1004-9 Poster Paul van Dyk Seven Ways

1005-9 Poster Jay Ray November

1006-9 Poster Marco Zaffarano He was once a beautiful woman

1007-9 Poster MFS European Tour

2094-3 CD-M Paul van Dyk For an Angel

2400-0 12" Humate Love Stimulation

2400-3 CD-M Humate Love Stimulation

33DJ 4x12" Paul van Dyk Vorsprung Dyk Technik

33TCD 3CD Paul van Dyk Vorsprung Dyk Technik

See also

References

{{Reflist|30em}}