DECODING THE HACKER MYTH sees Alter Ego continuing their vein of laidback techno, with "Cyax, Pt. 1" nodding towards angular tones ("Cyax, Pt. 2" will go for a more funky route), and "Cryonics" stretching its IDM legs with a slightly granular beat (they typewriter rhythms of "Mescal" are quite appealing). Still, they don't abandon their more melodic leanings, as they play with pitch-shifting tones on "Brom" or the jazz-inflected bass of "Slacker" or the spry telephone-tones on "Alterism." "Lycra" inserts a bit of cheeky fun into the album, even as it heads out with a heavier beat, which leads into the more abstracted and beatless "Telekinetik." The ultra-chilled "Lavender" ends the album on a more minimal note, leaving your consciousness just as hacked as before. The remix album, ALTERISM, kicks off with the blistering techno of "Lycra (The Dinosaur Mix)," courtesy of Luke Slater's Planetary Assault Systems (Alter Ego will give their own stomping "Lycra" mix). Matthew Herbert, under his Wishmountain guise, sneaks in two mixes of "Lycra," one in an abstracted funk vein and the other firmly in squeak-house. Two Lone Swordsmen, as well, offer two mixes for "Mescal," diving down deep for dubby electro, while Wallstar bring the big beats to "Lycra." The Alter Ego boys themselves give "Brom" more percussive elements, while their "Cryonics (Elektrafixion Mix)" heads right into bleepy techno. A diverse collection.