The songs that feature on ‘Key’ were all reimagined alongside her producer, arranger and musical director Sean McGhee. Some songs remain closer to the originals, ‘All Cried Out’ and ‘Love Resurrection’ are refreshed rather than reinvented, their ‘80s motifs switched for a more timeless production. And others are cast in a new light, see McGhee’s exquisite arrangements of both Guy Sigsworth co-write ‘Filigree’, and ‘Is This Love?’, now translated as a sweeping, shimmering epic ballad. This album has allowed Alison to revisit some of the songwriting highlights of her career including tracks such as ‘Can’t Say It Like I Mean It’ and ‘This House’.

The lavish new single ‘Such Small Ale’ fits naturally alongside the classics, with Alison’s voice seasoned by experience but losing none of its emotion-inspiring grandeur. It’s also a song that’s the perfect fit for how her voice has developed, one that feels both contemporary but with a hint of nostalgic ‘60s flavour. Alison wrote the song with McGhee and Suede guitarist Richard Oakes, the latter of whom performs on several tracks on the album. ‘Key’ distils 40 years of music making, presenting a cohesive overview of a long and dazzling journey.

Alison says, “I hope this collection will be the key to those unopened doors. Let yourself in.”