Certainly one of the most popular synth-pop acts of the '80s was Mute Records signings, Yazoo. Known as Yaz in the States, the sadly, short-lived duo saw keyboard boffin Vince Clarke, fresh out of Depeche Mode, pitched against little-known Essex blues-singer Alison Moyet.

An unusual combination on paper, perhaps, yet as soon as Clarke's basic bubbly and catchy synth melodies morphed seamlessly with Moyet's sub-husky pitch-perfect operatics, it was job done. "Situation", one of the biggest club tunes of that decade, "Nobody's Diary" one of the prettiest pop-songs from the era and "Only You", perhaps one of the greatest records to stall at #2 ever - that's three reasons to warm to Yazoo, straight away.

But eventually, the partnership soured and Moyet joined the solo set with a considerably successful career. Just look at the hits - "Love Resurrection", "All Cried Out", "Invisible" and that's just the first album's singles. Alf, to quote that album's title and her nickname, had arrived. Over the course of two decades, Alison Moyet's voice has earned her nine Top 10 hits, two platinum albums and a lot of fans.

After some time away from the spotlight, and a terse barracking aimed at her then record label (she refused to 'do' reality TV - good on her), Moyet is back! Now signed to Cooking Vinyl, she and current studio 'oppo' Guy Sigsworth (producer/co-writer for Sugababes, David Sylvian, Bomb the Bass, Bebel Gilberto and someone called Madonna) have crafted new album "The Minutes", a solid synth-fest that has, in Moyet's words on her often hilarious Twitter feed, 'only one ballad on it'. It's out on 6th May and contains the single "Changeling".

A few months later, Alison Moyet will be on tour throughout the autumn, performing the new album and a few choice cuts from her solo career. Her first headline tour for over three years will commence in Cork on 30th September, followed by stops in Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and loads more until winding up in Bournemouth on 31st October. That's a lot of touring. Tickets on sale now.