The label began operations in 1994[2] with the first release being a remix of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" (in which they got Summer to re-record vocals as the original masters had been lost in a fire).
The label was set up and headed by Eddie Gordon and Luke Neville who recruited Judge Jules as A&R.
Ben Cherrill (who would later move to Positiva Records in 2001[3]) also had an active role at the label, joining in 1998. Notable acts on the label included Todd Terry, Josh Wink, Byron Stingily, The Space Brothers, Yomanda and York.
[2] In 2000 the label set up a short lived subsidiary M-->Bargo.
[4] Mercury Records would occasionally release promotional club remixes of some of its artists on Manifesto labelled 12"s, in particular for Dina Carroll, who released one single through the label, "Without Love" in 1999.