FOLK favourites Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker are not the most obvious people you would expect to find at Rockfield Studios in Wales recording a new album.

This, after all, is the studio where Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody, where Oasis recorded (What's The Story) Morning Glory? and artists such as Coldplay and Simple Minds have been regular visitors.

But then Josienne and Ben, duo of the year at last year's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, have never been exactly conventional.

Since 2009 they have released four albums independently. Their most recent, Nothing Can Bring Back the Hour, with its lush production and bleak lyrics can be seen as their major breakthrough taking them from the fringes of the folk world to becoming major artists in their own right.

Now they are working on a new album with the backing of the Rough Trade label.

"For us Rough Trade is an ideal fit," said Josienne. "It is as big as it can get without us losing creative control. We are still in charge of all the bits which are really important to us and I don't have to deal with all the admin.

"The way the industry is means that artists have to have a pretty good idea about a number of things. You may be musicians but you have to develop other skills.

"In a way I have been our project manager for the last six years even though it's not something I thought I had a natural aptitude for but you learn.

"Ben has been our head of IT, he's always been a bit of a geek!"

The pair's DIY approach to making music has, Josienne believes, prepared them for their success.

"The new album will be our fifth so we've had four goes already to get things right," she said. "We have made so many mistakes in the past but we have learned from them all.

"We planned the new album within an inch of its life, Ben even produced a spreadsheet. But you have to allow some flexibility. It's just that you just need to be organised, every minute you are in a studio costs money so you don't want to waste any time."

Josienne and Ben spent seven days at Rockfield Studios.

"It was fascinating to be able to go there and record," said Josienne. "I grew up listening to a lot of the music recorded there.

"We had planned to record 15 tracks, 12 for the new album plus three bonus tracks and we got most of that done. We're now at the overdubs stage.

"We took a small ensemble to record with us - a violin, cello, piano and double bassist plus drums and percussion.

"I'd say that the new material is slightly less folky than some of our previous work. It's not really been a conscious decision on our part, it's more just where we are at the moment. I think you always want to move away from where you have been before and you think in a different way.

"And I think that one or two of the songs may even be slightly less miserable too," she laughed.

The new album is scheduled for release in October but some of the songs may well feature in the duo's live shows.

Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker, Ramsbottom Cricket Club, Wednesday, May 18. Tickets from 0161 761 2216.