Departure From The Northern Wasteland

Synthesist Michael Hoenig got his start in the German group Agitation Free, alongside drummer Chris Franke. That connection was renewed when Hoenig filled in for a vacationing Peter Baumann on Tangerine Dream's 1975 tours; and obviously, he learned a bit of their craft along the way. In 1976, he worked with Ashra's Manuel Göttsching, but recordings would not surface until decades later (as Early Water). In 1977, Hoenig became one of the first German musicians to sign an international deal, inking with Warner Brothers in the US. It's easy to see why: Departure From The Northern Wasteland is a classic example of the so-called Berlin School of electronic music; it's even more Tangerine Dream than Tangerine Dream! On the title track, Hoenig uses repetition to great end: Pulsing, trance-inducing sequencer lines percolate, bubble and carry the listener throughout the sonic journey. He adds significant texture with a variety of keyboards, while former Agitation Free guitarist Lüül Ulbrich lays down some thick guitar lines too. "Hanging Garden Transfer" offers its sequencer lines in a bold, symphonic arrangement, while "Voices of Where" is more ethereal, layering treated vocal loops. "Sun and Moon" closes, succinctly recapping the album's aural voyage. Throughout, Hoenig presents one of the more listenable albums of electronic music. He never recorded a proper follow-up, and eventually he moved to the United States to find work in the soundtrack business. Along with the burgeoning new age genre, this brand of electronic music would see some degree of commercial acceptance over the next few years.