Alison Goldfrapp on the cover of her new album, The Love Invention. Photo: Alison Goldfrapp / BMG
At 57, it's hard to believe Alison Goldfrapp is only just now dropping her first solo album.
After all, for the past two-and-a-half decades she's been the face and voice of a synthpop duo that bore her own name.
But The Love Invention is the first full-length record she's done without longtime collaborator Will Gregory, the other half of Goldfrapp (the band).
"I'm excited - I can't wait for it to be released and be out in the world and be everybody else's property," Alison told RNZ's Music 101.
Over seven albums, Goldfrapp covered a range of styles - from electronic-tinged folk and downbeat through to glam-inspired dancefloor bangers, notably on albums like Supernature and Black Cherry.
The Love Invention runs with the latter, Alison dubbing it a "tribute to the dance floor" on her Instagram page. But whereas the duo's music often had a dark edge to it, Alison's gone for a "more upbeat, lighter" touch.
"The last Goldfrapp album, and the last two actually, had sort of darkness and a seriousness to them, which I love, but yeah, I really wanted to do something that had a kind of euphoria and upbeat and positive and a sort of lightness to it, which is also kind of why I wanted lots of colour in the visuals and it to be sort of quite fantastical imagery.
"They're very upbeat songs. Some of them are sort of purely kind of hedonistic and maybe others have a little bit more sort of serious element to them as well, and humour as well I think. I think I like to play with, you know, lots of things. So there's always, you know, a dynamic there."
The album opens with 'NeverStop', a "surreal, fantastical walk through nature" Alison says is one of her favourites.
"Mind you, I say that and then you'll say another song, and I'll go, 'Yeah, that's one of my favourites too,' so," she laughs.
From there it's onto the title track, Alison's trademark breathy vocals combined with pulsing, glittering synthesisers harking back to Goldfrapp's poppier moments, such as 'Rocket' and 'Believer' from 2010's '80s-inspired Head First.
Over the next 40 minutes or so she only slows for a couple of short breathers, just enough to catch one's breath before the next uptempo beat kicks in.
"I've always been really into dancing. I haven't always been really into clubbing, though - I have done it and I like it a lot and I intend to do more. Actually, I'm gonna reawaken my club desire, but yes, I've always loved dancing.
"I was recalling with my sister, actually, because I used to really annoy my mum. I used to just dance constantly, dance around and dance in the kitchen, so yeah, I've always been a kitchen dancer and I have done quite a bit of clubbing in my time, for sure."
She'll be performing The Love Invention to much bigger crowds that can fit in her kitchen though, with festivals lined up for the northern hemisphere summer - including a spot at Glastonbury, where she hopes to see some famous faces in the audience.
"I'm so pleased with the feedback, it's been so positive. So that's been, yeah, really lovely actually. Even Elton John said that he can't wait to hear it on the dance floor. That's quite crazy."
While a trip to this side of the world isn't planned, there's hope for us yet now that she's found out we do early morning raves.
"It's such a brilliant idea - I'm an early riser, so yeah.. It makes so much sense. I mean, it's certainly more fun than going to the gym, that's for sure. Gees, that's really boring.
"Can you invite me, please? I'll come and perform at one of your early morning raves, that'll be great. And I'll get to see your beautiful landscape, 'cause I've never actually been to New Zealand. I've always wanted to go."
The Love Invention is out now.
