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Departure From The Northern Wasteland - Michael Hoenig

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Departure from the Northern Wasteland is the debut studio album of electronic music composer Michael Hoenig, released in 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. Michael Hoenig's debut album features 4 tracks comprising his influences by Terry Riley, Phillip Glass, and Steve Reich. With the help of guest musicians, Hoenig crafted an album of polyrythms and sequencer driven passages that let him stand out among his contemporaries of the Berlin School sound of electronic Music

Michael Hoenig is a German composer who has composed music for several films and games, in addition to two solo albums, including the highly-acclaimed 1978 album Departure from the Northern Wasteland. In 1997, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music for composing the theme to the science fiction series Dark Skies. Michael became a member of the band Agitation Free from 1971-1975 The same year he was also hired by fellow Berliners Tangerine Dream during Peter Bauman's brief hiatus from the band when he performed with them on their 1975 Australian tour and a London Royal Albert Hall performance before Peter Bauman returned and Michael started work on this album.

Hoenig owns a recording studio in Los Angeles and through his company Metamusic Productions, he has composed the scores for several movies (see filmography below) and television shows. In addition to this, he has composed music for the extremely popular Baldur's Gate PC games by Bioware. In 1987, Hoenig released his second solo album, Xcept One. The track Bones on the Beach from the Xcept One album was installed in the roller coaster CHAOS at Opryland making the attraction the first roller coaster to be synced to music. In 1998 the roller coaster was removed from Opryland. The track Bones on the Beach has also been used in the similar roller coaster Revolution at Bobbejaanland, a family park in Lichtaart, Belgium since 2004. In 2008 the roller coaster was redecorated and renamed to Evolution. Another soundtrack was used until 26 August 2011, but since 27 August 2011 Bones on the Beach is being used again.

Track Listings:
    1.Departure From The Northern Wasteland 20:53
    2.Hanging Garden Transfer 10:56
    3.Voices Of Where 6:19
    4.Sun And Moon 4:16
Total Time: 42:24
Artist Name(s):
Michael Hoenig-Synthesizers and keyboards
Mickey Duwe -Lead Harmonies
Lutz Ulbrich - Double Guitar
Voices - Uschi
Michael Hoenig
Release Year: 1978
Ambient, Berlin
Album Type:
Cover & Packge Design:
John Cabalka, Dennis G. Hendricks
Studio Name:
Aura Studio
Mastering: Michael Hoenig, Jutta Henglein,Arnie Acosta
Label / Publishing
Label Name:
Warner Brothers Records
Catalog Number(s):
BSK 3152
Berlin, Germany
Hoenig Music, Irving Music Inc.
Editions / Reissues
  1. BSK 3152 US 1978
  2. K 56464 UK 1978
  3. WB 56 464 Belgium 1978
  4. WB 56 464 Germany 1978
  5. BSK 3152 US 1978
  6. Kuckuck CD 079 USA, Canada & Europe 1987
  7. Kuckuck 11079-2 USA, Canada & Europe 1987
  8. Kuckuck MC 079 Germany 1987
  9. Kuckuck KUCK 079 Germany 1987
  10. Kuckuck 11079-2 Germany Unknown
  11. Kuckuck 11079-2 USA, Canada & Europe Unknown
Album Locator
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