You may know British superstar Aluna Francis as the vocalist behind Disclosure’s 2013 summer smash “White Noise.” Or, more likely, you’ll recognize her from that Platinum-selling DJ Snake remix of “You Know You Like It.” But you’d be mistaken in assuming that Francis is just a topline singer for some of the world’s biggest EDM acts.

Along with her producer partner George Reid, Francis is rewriting the rulebook for dance music as one half of synth-pop duo AlunaGeorge. With a thoughtfulness that defies her cute and gentle vocals, the singer’s studied attitude lends a unique emotion to a genre often criticized as “soulless.” Spending the three years since the pair’s first album focusing on her lyrical composition, Francis’s upcoming sophomore record I Remember sees the band showcasing a complex and mature approach to songwriting often missing from Top 40 hits.

“When I was creating our new tracks,” Francis says, reached by phone on her tourbus in Seattle, “I had my mind on some of the world’s classic songs. Something like ‘Sitting On the Dock of the Bay.’ That track is absolutely heart-wrenching if you listen to the lyrics. It’s about the singer having nothing to live for—he’s just sitting on the riverside feeling lost. Everyone thinks it’s a nice dreamy song, but when you connect with those words, you’re thinking ‘Oh dude. I’m so sorry.’

“What those tracks do,” she continues, “is pull you into a healing place emotionally with the music. And then when you listen to lyrics that are full of pain and complicated ideas, you can experience those sentiments in that safe space. That’s what a really good song does: it blends an uplifting melody with troubling and thoughtful lyrics. It’s hard to achieve, but that’s my goal.”

AlunaGeorge’s electronic compositions offer a modern twist on that classic songwriting template. New single “I’m In Control” mixes a glitchy reggae feel with lyrics celebrating Francis’s journey to female empowerment, while title track “I Remember” marries the singer’s personal breakup experiences with an infectious trap beat. Crafting an album of well-thought-out and emotive dance music, Francis points to the duo’s latest release, “Mean What I Mean,” as the best example of her new songwriting technique.

“The basis for that track was a situation I found myself in that could easily have escalated into sexual assault,” Francis reveals. “The subject I’m talking about is a really tough one—but I’ve put a positive spin on the events. It’s a celebration of the moment when you grasp the fact that you’re the master of your own space and your own body, and that you have the ability to feel indignant and angry at the situation. It’s about realizing the moment when you can say ‘Your behaviour is disgusting, and I absolutely don’t agree with this.’ By tying that together with George’s beat, we’ve made sure that the song is both a party and a discussion of serious things.”

Far from forcing her listeners to confront negativity, Francis’s compositions aim to offer friendly advice and alternative perspectives on tough situations. Citing the support that she received after her close call with a sexual assailant, the singer strives to provide that same help to her audience.

“I typically write a song if I’ve worked out something that can get you out of a dark place,” Francis says. “I’m not just going to transport my listener into a depressing narrative, and go ‘Oh well, shit happens. Deal with it.’ And I don’t try and write sympathetic songs where I’m saying ‘I feel so sad too—let’s all be sad together.’ When I get out my notebook, I’ve worked out some way to feel better about whatever is going on.

“Songwriting is about sharing, and music is a unique form of art,” she continues. “Music can help you look at things from a different angle, and allow you to release yourself from being trapped in your own mind. It’s a great form of expression, and a great form of salvation. That’s our goal for I Remember."

AlunaGeorge plays the PNE Amphitheatre on Sunday (August 7)