A Journey Through the Sounds of the Night
Nokturno is a 60-minute field recording album by Martina Testen and Simon Šerc, guiding listeners through the mysterious soundscapes of the nocturnal world. The recordings were gathered over a period of ten years, during which the authors spent countless nights in the forest.
Divided into eight chapters – Sunset, Twilight, Dusk, Nightfall, Midnight, After Midnight, Predawn, and Dawn – the album traces a natural arc from the fading light of day to the awakening chorus of morning. From twilight frogs and nocturnal beetles to the haunting calls of owls, the roar of stags, and the distant howls of wolves, the album reveals the hidden symphony of the night.
Nokturno continues the work of Biodukt, an audio project that captures the natural sounds of forests and gained international recognition with features in major media outlets such as The Guardian and the BBC. While Biodukt follows the rhythm of the day, Nokturno begins at sunset and carries listeners through the night until the first light of dawn.
Beyond sound alone, Nokturno invites reflection on the inner lives of animals – creatures that think, feel, and navigate their world with subtle intelligence. It is an intimate, immersive celebration of nocturnal realm, a journey into the fragile ecosystems that sustain life under the veil of darkness.
Immersive and atmospheric, Nokturno captures the beauty, mystery, and fragility of nocturnal life. It is both a celebration of nature’s hidden orchestra and a reminder of the importance of protecting the habitats where these sounds still resonate.
Selected as one of the Best Field Recordings Albums of 2025 by A Closer Listen
acloserlisten.com/2025/12/16/acl-2025-top-ten-field-recording-soundscape/
“You’ll never experience a night quite like this one.” ~ Matthew Blackwell, The Best Field Recordings on Bandcamp
daily.bandcamp.com/best-field-recordings/the-best-field-recordings-on-bandcamp-october-2025
“Nokturno is another triumph for this field recording team.” ~ Richard Allen, A Closer Listen
acloserlisten.com/2025/09/19/martina-testen-simon-serc-nokturno/
“Widen your listening to all those layers of sound that are going on simultaneously; it is pretty profound.” ~ Jennifer Lucy Allan, BBC Radio 3
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002kh1g
“Nokturno doesn’t add a soundtrack to the world; it returns us to the world as it sounds when no one speaks in its place.” ~ Olivier Lehoux, Solénopole
solenopole.com/martina-testen-simon-serc-nokturno/
“Among productions that explore the potential of field recording, Nokturno is certainly one of the most radical.” ~ Luca Giuoco, The New Noise
www.thenewnoise.it/martina-testen-simon-serc-nokturno/
“I dare say, listening often might even cleanse one’s soul a bit.” ~ Tom Knapp, Rambles
www.rambles.net/testen_nokturno25.html
“High-resolution recordings, restrained editing, sequencing like a nocturnal suite.” ~ Cyprien Rose, Houz-Motik
houz-motik.fr/2025/09/nokturno-quand-la-nuit-compose/
“Fascinating new recording, assembled into a dense, fluctuating, sometimes serene, sometimes tumultuous set of natural sounds. Excellent work.” ~ Brian Olewnick
“Nokturno resonates far beyond its immediate environment. It reminds us that the act of listening, truly listening, can itself become a form of care.” ~ Escala de Grisos
escaladegrisos.substack.com/p/listening-to-the-night
“The result is a fascinating collection of pieces that form different rhythmic patterns and encompass a wide range of sound spectra.” ~ Muanis Sinanović, Odzven
www.sigic.si/stopi-krotko-v-to-dobrotno-noc.html
“To truly perceive our surroundings in depth, it is necessary to close our eyes, since only a mind freed from sight can follow the infinite nuances that surround us.” ~ Café Marvin
marvin.com.mx/cafe-marvin-en-la-congestion-del-bosque-con-martina-testen-simon-serc/
“The work captures the beauty, mystery, and fragility of an ecosystem whose habitats must be protected before the two-legged creatures destroy it all.” ~ Patrick Bruneel, Luminous Dash
luminousdash.be/internationaal/martina-testen-simon-serc-nokturno/
“It’s John Cage in a forest with the lights off – the silence is deafening.” ~ Daz Lawrence, Weird Bones
weirdbones.co.uk/a-decade-of-listening-to-what-moves-in-the-dark/
“Nokturno is a record that doesn’t want your opinion. It wants your presence.” ~ Vito Camarretta, Chain DLK
www.chaindlk.com/reviews/13274
“Nokturno celebrates the mystery and fragility of night ecosystems while reminding listeners of the importance of protecting these habitats.” ~ Jerneja Grilj, Terra Relicta
terrarelicta.com/publications/news/martina-testen-simon-serc-invite-on-journey-through-sounds-of-night
“An aural glimpse into the rich lifeworlds of animals and guiding us through the mysterious soundscapes of the nocturnal world.” ~ Nature Folds, E13
www.spreaker.com/episode/e13-twilight-martina-testen-simon-serc–68534013
“This is the music of nature. It’s beautiful. It’s captivating.” ~ Peter Albrechtsen, Danmarks Radio DR
www.dr.dk/lyd/p2/natsvaermeren/natsvaermeren-2025/toner-og-tilstande-12422563464
“A fantastic work that surprises you with its well-crafted sound.” ~ Nicolas Malevitsis, MiC Music Magazine
www.mic.gr/stili/eikosti-deyteri-tanini-hrysa-pantazi-hali-palombo-the-great-waitress-gellert-szabo
“Nokturno is a deeply fascinating work, Un symphonie nocturne fantastique.” ~ Allan Sommer, Salt Peanuts
salt-peanuts.eu/record/martina-testen-simon-serc/
Best Albums of 2025, Solenopole:
solenopole.com/retrobalisage-2025-part-2/
Best Albums of 2025, Primorske novice:
primorske.svet24.si/kultura/izbor-glasba-2025-bregove-dere-bakalina-velika-deftones-president-sirom-kamra-tamburateam
Best Albums of 2025, Salt Peanuts:
salt-peanuts.eu/arsbeste-2025/
Best Albums of 2025, A Closer Listen:
acloserlisten.com/2025/12/16/acl-2025-top-ten-field-recording-soundscape/
Late Junction on BBC Radio 3. Journeys in music, ancient to future. The home for adventurous listeners. Hosted by Verity Sharp and Jennifer Lucy Allan. Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, Tashi Dorji, Ecka Mordecai, Mulatu Astatke, Poor Isa, Evan Parker & Ingar Zach , Lea Bertucci and more.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002kh1g
80lb. Cardstock, Xray FM, Portland Oregon. Hosted by Scott / Ruth R. Ford. Electronic & Experimental frequencies from the intergalactic underground. Tracks by Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, Nobukazu Takemura, Kenji Kihara, Craven Faults, Squanderers and more.
https://xray.fm/broadcasts/66285
:zoviet*france: Radioshow: A Duck in a Tree 2025-10-25 | Circumstances Never End. First broadcast 25 October 2025 by Resonance 104.4 FM and CJMP 90.1 FM This week’s edition features tracks from Martina Testen / Simon Šerc, Zreen Toyz, Midori Komachi, Thorsten Soltau, Méryll Ampe, David Nemeth and more.
https://zovietfrance.podbean.com/e/a-duck-in-a-tree-2025-10-25-circumstances-never-end/
Nokturno featured on Denmark’s national broadcaster DR, in the program Natsværmeren. Host Peter Albrechtsen. Tracks by: Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, Max Richter, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Henry Purcell, Rebecca Dale, Olivier Messiaen, Bryce Dessner, Chick Corea and more.
https://www.dr.dk/lyd/p2/natsvaermeren/natsvaermeren-2025/toner-og-tilstande-12422563464
Framework Radio, Resonance FM London UK. Field recording, phonography, and the art of sound-hunting, presented by Patrick Tubin McGinley. This week’s regular edition features Rie Nakajima & David Toop, Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, Eamon Sprod, Brunhild Ferrari and more. Several contrasting strategies in this week’s show: we hear pristine unaltered (but skillfully organised) natural sounds by Martina Testen and Simon Šerc, whose nocturnal forest recordings were gathered over 10 years in Slovenia and Italy.
https://frameworkradio.net/2025/11/952-2025-11-23/
No Pigeonholes EXP 9-25-25, broadcast on KOWS Radio, Santa Rosa, California. Hosted by Don Campau. Tracklist: Martina Testen / Simon Šerc, Jack Hertz, Yair Elazar Glotman & Mats Erlandsson, Noriko Hisada, Susana López, Anja Lauvdal & Manja Ristić.
https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/nopigeonholesexp/episodes/2025-09-26T06_45_33-07_00
Solenoide – Solénosphère 34 radioshow. The imaginogenic music show broadcast on 30 radio stations across France, Belgium, Canada, and Italy. Featuring tracks from the albums Nokturno, Elemental Studies, and much more.
https://solenopole.com/solenosphere-34-biodukt/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8L7dVjHCOc
Wave Farm WGXC 90.7-FM, New York, USA. Tune in for a special Saturday evening episode of “The Radio Museum!” Tracks by: Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, Joey Ramone, The Pogues, Hollywood Strings, Ennio Morricone, Frank Sinatra, Alice Coltrane and much more.
https://wavefarm.org/radio/wgxc/audio-archive/tpwzxs
The Institute of Spectra-Sonic Sound 10.11.25. A long-running radio show/podcast curating sound art from artists worldwide. Tracks by: Martina Testen / Simon Šerc, Aidan Baker, Yoichi Kamimura & Olli Aarni, Kevin Drumm, Susana López, Vanessa Wagner, Stefan Goldmann, Ethnea Nekrōn and more.
https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/superlaphonic/episodes/2025-10-10T10_00_00-07_00
CITR’s 24 Hours of Radio Art CITR 101.9FM Vancouver Canada. Hosted by Bepi Crespan. Tonight’s broadcast features new Nick May, Alex Siu Lun Li, Scanner, Jana Irmert, Martina Testen, Simon Šerc, Ethnea Nekrōn, Massimo Toniutti, Širom, Illusion of Safety, Mount XLR, Aho Ssan, and Sergio Merce.
https://www.citr.ca/2025/10/03/04-october-2025-broadcast-preview-122800/https://www.citr.ca/radio/bepi-crespan-presents/episode/20251004/
https://www.citr.ca/radio/bepi-crespan-presents/episode/20251011/
Unexplained Sounds radio transmission, The Recognition Test # 373. Curated by Raffaele Pezzella. Resonance Extra, Rough Radio, Grey Clay Radio, KCSB-FM 91.9. Tracks by Martina Testen, Simon Šerc, vÄäristymä, David Kovacs, Philippe Blache, Deison, Costis Drygianakis and more.
https://x.resonance.fm/episodes/unexplained-sounds-373-2025-10-06
The Moderns ep. 388. Curated by Kevin Press. Tracklist: Midori Komachi, Ellen Fullman and The Living Earth Show, Yoichi Kamimura & Olli Aarni, Stefan Goldmann, Martina Testen / Simon Šerc, Steve Roden, GitM, Aidan Baker, Yuhan Su, Danek Lipko, Sonya Belaya, The Necks, Mariska Baars / Rutger Zuydervelt.
https://themoderns.blog/2025/10/12/the-moderns-ep-388/
Pangea 282, Fango Radio Italy. Psicogeografie musicali ed escursioni sonore. In streaming su www.fangoradio.com un martedì sì e uno no dalle 21:00 alle 22:30. Tracks by Martina Testen / Simon Šerc, Noura Mint Seymali, Mark Stewart, Kahil El’zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, The Necks and more.
https://www.thenewnoise.it/pangea-282/
Earbitten Rotterdam, Netherlands. Earbitten is every Friday from 6 to 7 pm CEST on DFM RTV INT. This Friday: Gabi Delgado & Marc Hurtado, Sluta Leta, Anushka Chkheidze, Robert Lippok, Rick Sanders, Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, Martina Berther & Philipp Schlotter, Daniel Menche and more.
https://www.mixcloud.com/Radboud/earbitten-10-okt-2025/
Lost and Found Sounds, 2BOB RADIO 104.7fm Australia. This week’s line-up includes tracks from new releases by Martina Testen & Simon Šerc – Nokturno on Pharmafabrik, Ninth Hour – Parables on Burgan Triangle Tapes, grüm – Meschin on Sirr-ecords, Nerthus – Love letters via Echelon on Eighth Tower and Territorial Gobbing – 96 Tapes Of Revenge.
http://www.2bobradio.org.au/lost-and-found-sounds.html
WFMU-FM 91.1/Jersey City, NJ; 90.1/Hudson Valley, New York USA. Serious Moonlight Sonatas with Carol. An odyssey of the ears powered by the moon, the stars, & a pixie dusting of ecstatic electricity… Tracks by Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, The Chemical Brothers, Clara Mondshine, Freiberg Philharmonic Orchestra, Brad Mehldau, Pet Shop Boys, Syd Barrett and more.
https://wfmu.org/archiveplayer/?show=160148&archive=282091
https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/160148
Brains of Paradise pt.292. Tune in Monday on KUZU LP 92.9 FM, Denton Texas USA. Tracks by: Martina Testen, Simon Šerc, Tortoise, Lea Bertucci, Praed Orchestra and more.
https://www.kuzu.fm/
Nokturno featured on the 13Melek radio show at Açık Radyo (Istanbul). Tracks by Martina Testen & Simon Šerc, Fletina, Andrius Mack, Gonçalo F. Cardoso, Alëna Korolëva, Daniel Menche, Philippe Neau, Brunhild Ferrari, Daniel Blinkhorn and more.
https://13melekradyo.com/post/805524034284634112/acikradyo677
