Epidemic Sound artists release new collaborative EP “Off the Grid” under the mentorship of electronic music pioneer Richie Hawtin

• EP is the output of a mentorship programme launched between Epidemic Sound and Richie Hawtin in 2024, culminating in a session for the artists with Richie in Lisbon in April 2025
• Initiative demonstrates Epidemic Sound’s continued commitment to support the next generation of artists and launch fantastic music to creators, brands and fans worldwide
• Listeners can find the EP on Epidemic Sound here and on streaming platforms  

Stockholm, Wednesday 2nd July 2025 – Epidemic Sound, the leading soundtracking platform for content creation, today announced the release of a new collaborative EP “Off the Grid” created by three of its artists - The Yard Woman, dreem, and Blue Saga - under the mentorship of electronic music pioneer and producer Richie Hawtin. Inspired by a mentorship session with Richie in Lisbon in April, where they received invaluable guidance on career development, artistic and emotional growth, and release strategies, the EP - consisting of the tracks “Kiss Kiss”, “Scarlet” and “Rush” - showcases the three artists’ creative evolution. 

Epidemic Sound partnered with Richie Hawtin in 2024 to mentor the next generation of artists and global music talent. A year-long program culminated in a mentorship day between Richie and the three artists in Lisbon in April to facilitate a true cross-genre, cross-purpose dialogue. Each artist brought to the mentorship day not only a track, but their vulnerabilities, trusting Richie to guide, challenge, and push them beyond their comfort zone, further building their confidence and acquiring new skills. 

The inspiration behind the title of the EP comes from the power outage in Lisbon that occurred the day before the mentorship day, and which brought the artists even closer together, inspiring them to find ways to work collaboratively in exceptional circumstances. The three tracks are variations of atmospheric techno, with some tracks leading with a more groovy style and others with raw, dark undertones. Listeners will be able to listen to all three tracks on Epidemic Sound here and on any streaming platform from today.  

Reflecting on the Mentorship Day and the EP’s launch, British-Canadian electronic music producer and DJ, Richie Hawtin, said: “Mentoring these artists in Lisbon was a reminder of why I fell in love with electronic music. Each of them brought something deeply personal and fearless to the table, and the final EP reflects not just their individual voices, but the power of honest collaboration as I witnessed all three artists vibing off each other throughout our time together. It was a pleasure to be involved in such an initiative with Epidemic Sound.”

“The chance to learn from Richie and work with the other incredible artists on this record was an unforgettable experience” said The Yard Woman, London-based producer and DJ and one of the mentees. “Richie has a wealth of experience and is a real role model for so many of us starting out in our careers so it was incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to receive mentorship, guidance and feedback from someone who you’ve looked up to for years. We each were able to learn something new - including the value in stripping things back for greater impact - that will help us continue to forge a career in the music business.” 

The new EP launch highlights the importance of shared ideas and how another artist's input can significantly impact a track, and emphasizes Epidemic Sound’s commitment to support artists, producers and composers and help them reach their creative and commercial potential. It comes shortly after the launch of Extra Version, a new remix series designed to expand how music is created, shared, and discovered in the creator economy, with Grammy-winning DJ and producer Honey Dijon launching the first remix in the series. Epidemic Sound’s artists' music is seen and heard over 3 billion times a day on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, while the company has consistently developed its remuneration model, which now includes a 50/50 streaming royalty split, fixed fees per track, and a portion of a SEK 35 million Soundtrack Bonus. It also offers freedom for artists to work non-exclusively on multiple projects at the same time, and facilitates creative collaborations with industry legends such as Richie and Johnny Marr.

About Richie Hawtin
Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman is a genuine original. His critical acclaim spans the creative realm of the fine art community to the technological vanguard. As a performing artist, he is constantly pushing conceptual frontiers, creating ideas and experiences that would have seemed pure science fiction when he began his career in the emerging techno scene in Detroit. Hawtin is British-born and Canadian-raised. He is the business mind behind the labels Plus 8, MINUS Records and now From Our Minds. And, of course, he is Plastikman, perhaps that most of all, electronic musician par excellence, maintaining an underground agenda of avant-garde electronica over six albums. The New York Times called him “one of the electronic dance world's intellectual forces,”. Raf Simons, Co-Creative Director at Prada, says he listens “to Richie Hawtin's music like others listen to classical music”, calling him “the Kraftwerk of today”. In technology, it was Hawtin who led the shift from physical to digital DJing through the creation of Final Scratch; he was a co-founder of the pioneering Beatport digital store; head of his own music-technology fund Plus 8 Equities; and PLAYdifferently for innovative DJ and performance technologies with MODEL 1.

About The Yard Woman
The Yard Woman, a Greek-born, London-based DJ and producer, is a leading name in UK Melodic Techno. Known for her eclectic influences and hybrid melodic tracks, she invites listeners to immerse themselves in her rich sonic landscapes. With releases on labels like Running Clouds and Panda Lab Recs, and performances alongside industry giants like Mathame and Victor Ruiz, her trajectory in the electronic music scene is marked by undeniable talent and inevitable growth.

About dreem
Mio Marberger, known professionally as "dreem," is an accomplished artist whose musical journey spans across diverse genres including trap, pop, indie, and post-punk, with a current focus on electronic music. Dubbed "The Prodigy," Mio's remarkable talent shines through with an impressive portfolio. By the age of 21, Mio had already released 80 tracks across various electronic subgenres for Epidemic Sound. 

About Maya Lourenço
Maya Lourenço, aka Parallax Deep and Blue Saga, is among Stockholm's most acclaimed DJs and producers, known for their passion in uncovering what lies "under the hood" – both physically and sonically. They seamlessly blend various electronic music genres with a focus on the low-end punch. Maya also heads the labels '10YEARS' and 'Surfaced Trax,' the latter exploring deep sea concepts with a personal touch