Keane chief songwriter and keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley has admitted that the band’s fourth studio effort, 'Strangeland', is the first time he’s felt the band has “made a really great album.”

The 35-year-old, who has previously written songs for the likes of Kylie Minogue and Gwen Stefani, told MTV News that the decision to go back-to-basics for their first full-length album in four years has paid off:

“The emotional directness and passionate heart of this record is something that I think is a bit different from Perfect Symmetry and Night Train - probably closer to Hopes and Fears in that respect.

“It's also more hopeful and philosophical than Under The Iron Sea I think, although the sonic landscape is quite similar to that album in that it's quite ethereal and 3D.

“This is the first time I felt we've made a really great album…and that's as much as you can do really!”

The multi-instrumentalist also hinted that more material from the album’s sessions could be on its way when asked about the tracks that were left off the record:

“I think there's enough 'good' stuff for a 'good' album, but it's a question of whether an album's worth of really great stuff would come together quickly.

“Maybe we'll do another EP - that's a nice way to put out a few songs that's a little less intense. We still feel an album is a major journey in its own right, and I think we feel better about taking our time with that and trying our best to make something that's the best possible thing we could do at any given moment. I've got a feeling it might take us a while..!”