To outsiders, dance music might sound all the same. A pounding beat, some synths and maybe some high-pitched female vocals essentially make "a dance hit." But within the realm of techno, Alter Ego played an important role in bringing a more thoughtful, even experimental brand of electronic music-the kind you listen to at home rather than on the dancefloor-to the mainstream. Still, that hasn't made Alter Ego a stranger to the German club scene.

The duo formed in 1989, consisting of Roman Flugel and Jorn Elling-Wuttke, who were poised to be giants as the German club scene exploded in the ‘90s. Under the name Acid Jesus, they began attracting attention from ravers enamored with their odd assortment of blips, beeps and other electronic twittering. They scored a hit with the song "Move My Body," which earned the notice of Sven Vath, who ran the Harthouse techno label. He added them to the label's stable in 1993, but Alter Ego had gradually lost their interest in the commercial frenzy of the techno scene. Day by day, electronic music seemed too simple and brainless. They decided to veer away from the mainstream dance music and begin exploring more ambient or atmospheric electronica, albeit still rooted firmly in dance. This didn't win them a major following in Germany, as they were swimming against the tide, but they found a loyal fan base in England.

The U.K. electronic scene has always been more receptive to more "thinking" electronic music rather than straightforward club music. Alter Ego's 1994 self-titled release introduce many new fans to their unique take on dance music. 1996's Alterism expanded that base of fans, and they've scored numerous hit albums since then, though still largely within the dance community.