GOLDFRAPP’S Tales Of Us may be a “city album”, but Alison Goldfrapp says “it’s more about a feeling than a place”.

“Jo is definitely set in a city, so is Stranger, but a lot of them are set in nature, so there’s a mixture,” she says, in the lead-up to Saturday’s concert at York Barbican.

“Often my dreams are set in night-time, so that inspired some songs and particularly the visuals for the album.”

What you cannot see is equally important, suggests the 47-year-old Enfield chanteuse and songwriter.

“When you look at space and emptiness, your imagination fills in the blanks. This album is more minimal than previous albums we’ve done,” she says. “I like the intimacy and the suspense you can create with just the voice, guitar, and strings.”

The album is minimalist yet still rich in sound. “When you simplify the sonic landscape, it’s like holding a magnifying glass up to those sounds. You become very selective about the sound you want the instruments to make, what you want to say with them – their narrative and colour,” she says.

For all Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory’s association with electronica, strings are important in the Tales Of Us soundscape. “They can give such drama and expansiveness. Will and I are big romantics; we love their bittersweet melancholia.”

Goldfrapp have made a series of short films to accompany last September’s Top Five album, culminating in their most ambitious project to date: the worldwide screening on March 4 of their Tales Of Us film, followed by an exclusive live performance transmitted into cinemas across Britain, Europe and North America.

The film takes a 30-minute journey through five stories on the album, as the tracks Stranger, Laurel, Jo, Drew and Annabel connect to share themes of love, loss, madness and identity.

“There isn’t any one story that connects the films, though all the songs are about one central character, but the characters are in their own separate worlds. If they share anything, it’s a sense of longing and them questioning their identity,” says Alison.

In one Interview in Goldfrapp’s early days, Alison said that “making videos is the worst thing that you can think of”, but her stance has since altered. “What’s changed is that I’ve been much more creatively involved this time.

“We all felt passionate about the ideas and that made us a great team. We also had a lot of fun. It was the first time I’ve worked with my partner Lisa Gunning, who directed the films. Working with her has been an incredible experience.”

In the first short film, for Jo, Alison is filmed walking through a modernist house that could pass for the setting of a classic crime thriller.

“The house in which Jo is set was deliberately chosen for its clean lines and graphic style,” she says. “We filmed it at night because we wanted to evoke a sense of dread. Whereas the song Drew is about past relationships and nostalgia, which is why we chose a deserted English mansion to conjure the idea of romance and memory.”

Two songs on Tales Of Us were inspired by the books of Kathleen Winter and Patricia Highsmith, both known for their anti-heroes. “I guess my protagonists are anti-heroes too. The characters in these songs are alienated; they’re trying to understand their place in the world.”

Alison took to Twitter to highlight a quote by one J.C. Pearce that struck a chord. “To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong,” said the American author.

“It doesn’t connect specifically to Tales Of Us, but I think it’s relevant to any creative process. Part of the creative process is discovery.” says Alison.

“For example, improvising and jamming is such an important part of song writing for Will and I, for which you have to surrender your inhibitions, and that’s when magic can happen. What I love about this quote is that it summed up this feeling for me. Quotes can be great reminders.”

Goldfrapp are noted for changing musical style and Tales Of Us continues down that path on their sixth studio set since 2000. “I go with whatever feels right at that moment,” says Alison. “I’m not interested in a formula.”

Goldfrapp play York Barbican on Saturday, supported by We Were Evergreen at 8pm. Single seats still available on 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk