TURIN Brakes, whose sound has been described variously as future folk or space rock, recorded their last album at Rockfield Studios, which is where Queen made Bohemian Rhapsody and Oasis’ second album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory was born.

“I don’t think they’ve changed the décor or the curtains since,” laughs Olly Knights, one half of the mellow song-writing duo who had a top five hit with Summer Rain a decade ago.

“We wanted a time machine studio where we could step back into the 1970s and Rockfield had that special vibe.

“There wasn’t a computer in sight, just a load of amps, mics and a tape machine.

“Sometimes it is a lottery when go into the studio, but this one felt right.”

Their last offering, We Were Here, is a slice of vintage Turin Brakes which will instantly appeal to fans of their Mercury Music Prize-nominated 2001 debut The Optimist.

Hypnotic and heart-warming, it explores the themes of loneliness and disconnection. Recorded in five, eighteen hour sessions over a fortnight, with long-time collaborators Rob Allum and Eddie Mayer, the album reflects Gale Paridjanian’s and Knights’ love of 1970s West Coast singer-songwriters, with shades of jazz, hip hop and ambient sound.

“If the Optimist was the soul of a heartbroken 21 year-old whose innocence was breaking then this record is where that soul is a decade later,” said Knights.

“Some records in the past have almost fallen together by luck, but this was the first since the Optimist where we obsessed over each element.” The addition of Allum and Mayer to the now four-some, admits Knights, has given them a fuller sound, and he is convinced it is the best record they could have made.

“I always had that blues influence in my life, and we’re hugely inspired by artists like Joni Mitchell and more recently Laura Marling – we’ve drawn from that energy.

“With this record, the four of us brought in our own very different influences – everything from jazz to hip hop to ambient music and things like Pink Floyd.”

Knights, who has also produced a well-received solo album, added: “I’d done non-stop Turin Brakes for 15 years and it gave me a fresh perspective.

“Most of all, we want to thank people for growing older with us – and hope they come out to see Turin Brakes at Preston – one more time, at least.”