OFFICERS emerged from the industrial landscapes of Northern England - an uncompromising fusion of electronic innovation and art rock rebellion that would challenge the boundaries of alternative music. 

Founded in 2006 across the creative nexus of York, Leeds and Manchester, their story began not in conventional record label boardrooms or indie pub circuits, but in the digital underground of MySpace.

Their raw home recordings - a blend of machine-driven rhythms and human vulnerability - caught the ear of industry legends, leading to incendiary debut performances at Alan McGee's legendary Death Disco and Client's Being Boiled club nights, in London's Notting Hill Arts Club. 

The band's unorthodox approach and fierce originality quickly attracted Riverman Management, the visionaries who had previously orchestrated the UK breakthrough of grunge titans such as Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins and who also manage International rock band Placebo.

At the helm of OFFICERS' are Matthew Southall and James Baker, whose creative partnership is enhanced by the acclaimed British artist Stuart Semple. This triumvirate has shaped not just their music, but a complete artistic universe that defies any easy categorisation.

The band's lineup has evolved over the years, previously featuring current Placebo drummer Matt Lunn. The current incarnation includes guitarist Dan iV, ex-Client bass player Emily Mann, and keyboard player Steven Metcalfe.

OFFICERS' artistic footprint extends far beyond conventional boundaries. Their signature sound - electronic experimentation, enduring melody and starcutting guitars - has manifested through multiple channels: collaborations with electronic pioneer Gary Numan, haunting soundtracks for prestige television and film (BBC Earth, The Blacklist), and their notorious 'annihilation' remixes - sonic deconstructions that transform familiar tracks into entirely new entities. 

Their early live shows, meanwhile, became legendary for their intensity, sometimes blurring the line between performance fiction and unpredictable electro-shock reality.

2011 saw the release of their debut album 'On The Twelve Thrones' through PIAS/Rough Trade - a record that captured the imagination of critics and earned Rock Sound writers' 'Album of the Year'. Self-produced across multiple studios, the album's creation became a journey in itself, with engineer Matt Sladen (known for his lead vocals on The Streets' 'Dry Your Eyes') joining their live lineup for European tours and festivals.

The album's final form was shaped in London's legendary Metropolis studios by two luminaries: Dave Bascombe, whose credits read like a history of music (Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Suede, Kylie Minogue), and the late, great John Davis, whose mastering expertise produced award winning works from U2 to Led Zeppelin, The Prodigy to Dua Lipa.

The band's early transmissions and press reviews caught the attention of tastemakers across the spectrum - from MTV's alternative underground to XFM's wave of new noise, and Virgin Radio's influential Eddy Temple Morris. It was Morris who served as the crucial link to Numan, leading to OFFICERS joining the stage on his Machine Music tour - a partnership that would evolve into something far more significant.

This alliance first bore 'Petals' - a collaboration that reached No. 2 on the German Airplay Charts while serving a higher purpose: raising awareness for the suicide prevention charity CALM for which Baker and Southall are official ambassadors. 

The single, coupled with a video that evoked an android Mary Shelley and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari alongside remixes from Losers and legendary electronic architect and producer Jagz Kooner (Sabres of Paradise, Primal Scream, Oasis), demonstrated OFFICERS' ability to balance artistic ambition with social consciousness.

Their further reimagining of Numan's 'The Fall' became his preferred live arrangement on subsequent tours. This version, released on the Dead Moon Falling album, exemplified OFFICERS' talent for respectful deconstruction and bold reinvention.

Beyond the music, OFFICERS craft a parallel artistic universe through their limited-edition companion releases. Some pieces, meticulously handcrafted by the band and Semple, have become coveted artefacts among collectors, commanding premium prices in the digital marketplace - physical totems of their artistic vision.

Their reunion with Bascombe in 2016 birthed 'Attack' - an explosive audio-visual statement accompanied by carefully curated physical artifacts: limited edition 7-inch vinyl, Semple-designed prints, cracked mirror sculptures, and merchandise that bridged the gap between music and visual art.

In 2017 Southall and Baker joined Death in Vegas's Tim Holmes at the hallowed Contino Rooms. The resulting session yielded 'Born In May' - a track that revealed the band's krautrock and psychedelic DNA. This creative momentum carried them into sessions with longtime Numan producer Ade Fenton for what was be their anticipated sophomore album 'The Jackal'.

The record included tracks that were initially pitched to Liam Gallagher for a post-Beady Eye collaboration, though they were ultimately deemed 'not quite right' for the Oasis icon.

Additional songs from these sessions - 'Shallow Grave', 'Frozen', 'Silence the Frightening' and 'When is Phantom' - remain unreleased, victims of the band's own exacting standards and their resistance to diluting their vision in pursuit of commercial success.

OFFICERS maintained their creative pulse through remixing work, and a crucial contributions for Stuart Semple's 'My Sonic Youth: Ten Songs of Summer' installation in Los Angeles. This multimedia experience pinned an eclectic constellation of artists together including Maxim (The Prodigy), Charlotte Church, Sneaker Pimps, Jim Jones and Sam Forest (Nine Black Alps).

Their commitment to CALM continued to manifest itself through organisation of clandestine DJ aftershow parties featuring Placebo, Reverend and the Makers, and Project Alpha - a groundbreaking photography exhibition showcasing iconic work from Scarlet Page, Jennifer Patterson Helena Berg, and featured Professor Green, Frank Turner, which catalysed the CALM photography movement.

Operating in the shadows between underground credibility and mainstream recognition, often with little online presence, OFFICERS have become something of an industry secret - 'your favourite band's favourite band'. 

Their uncompromising vision and experimental spirit have earned them cult status among fellow musicians and critics, and exemplify the kind of fearless innovation that’s often repackaged to define tomorrow's sounds.

Their two-decades of activity has seen them share stages and studios with an impressive roster of alternative music royalty including: Placebo, Jagz Kooner, Courteeners, The Music, Primal Scream, The Cooper Temple Clause and Linkin Park. Their recent motorik reimagining of Shed Seven's 'In Ecstasy' found its way onto the bootleg edition of the UK No. 1 album Liquid Gold - a testament to their enduring influence on the fringes of mainstream success.

As the world emerged from the global pandemic, OFFICERS reflected on the creative, emotional and societal impacts alongside the digital warfare the world now finds itself contending with. 

Now, in 2025, they’re preparing to challenge, provoke, and redefine the boundaries of electronic art rock.

Clubbing was in its infancy when Berlin-born Monika Kruse began her first residency at the Babalu bar in Munich, where she grew up. Classically trained in piano from the age of four, Monika has always had a love of music and her early sets spanned hip hop, funk, soul and early deep and vocal house. This new breed of electronic music seized Monika’s soul and imagination. Dance music was in its infancy and since there were few clubs where you could play techno she threw her own parties in illegal venues ranging from World War II bunkers to trams to empty houses. Fortunately the police were a little behind the musical curve… “I had some funny experiences,” she recalls, “But nice ones! They stopped us once in a tram because they thought the smoke machine was a fire!” On another occasion, they came and asked her to turn down the bass so the house they were playing in wouldn’t crumble. “Luckily, they didn’t have a clue about techno!” 
	
Monika Kruse's star is shining brighter than ever with a global fan-base hungry for her irresistible beats. In 2014 her club appearances included Space Ibiza with Carl Cox, Amnesia Ibiza with Marco Carola, We Love... at Space Ibiza, Sankeys Ibiza, Egg London and regular sets for her residency at Berghain Berlin.

She dazzled the festivals, too, playing events such as Time Warp, Melt Festival, 18 Hour Festival, Eastern Electrics UK, Ultra Music Festival in Miami and South America, Sonus Croatia, Awakenings ADE, and SEMF Stuttgart. She also hosted a stage at Amsterdam's Edit Festival, showcasing some of her favourite artists such as Pig & Dan, Nick Curly and Miss Kittin.
Classically trained in piano, Monika's love of music is broad and deep. She grew up buying records, accumulating a music collection that grew to span funk, soul, hip hop, and house music. When the revolutionary rhythms coming out of Chicago and Detroit captured her imagination it led her to throw parties in illegal venues including World War II bunkers, trams and empty houses.

Electronic music culture has evolved rapidly since those early days but Monika's talent and passion is constant. “My ethos is ‘sweat with a smile,’” she says. “I give love to my audience and they give it back. LOVE – it’s the best thing in the world. My aim is to help people forget whatever is going on in their life and have a little holiday – just get lost in my music.”
Monika is also an active producer. Her Terminal M label celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2015 and she chalked up hits this year with Pig & Dan collaboration 'Soulstice', a Beatport Top 10 techno anthem. The fantastic remix package of 'Summer Drops' was also a Beatport chart favourite, featuring Monika's track reworked by Nicole Moudaber, Uner, and Mendo. With just two releases Monika was one of Beatport's Top 100 techno artists for 2014. Look out for the special re-release of the album Monika Kruse @ Voodooamt 'Passengers' in celebration of Terminal M's 15th birthday.

Monika’s passion for spreading the love extends beyond the dancefloor, too. In 2000 she founded a charity called No Historical Backspin to fight racism and homophobia. “It’s sad and ridiculous that people still get beat up, or in some countries even killed, for being gay. Or get treated badly because of their skin colour, or gender, or because they’re a refugee” she says. “But it happens. Sharing and caring is the only way to make the world a safe place for everyone. It is important for DJs to show they respect everyone.” She is currently organising a No Historical Backspin party at Berghain. Funds raised will go to Amadeu Antonio Stiftung, which supports victims of hate-crimes and campaigns against right-wing extremism.
Her charity work, like her DJing and production, is an expression of Monika’s faith in the transforming power of music. “It was my first love,” she says. “Music was my best friend. It never let me down. In good times music was there and in bad times music was there.”

Bookings : ian@safehousemanagement.com

Short info Oliver Mohr: I'm a music producer, dj, live-act based in Berlin. I'm running Atelier Mohr together with my wife, paintress Mi.M, combining music and art.

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