“Nocturne,” the Podcast That Explores the Night
“Nocturne,” a podcast that’s “peering into the dusty corners of the night,” as its tagline tells us, is hosted and produced by the independent Bay Area producer Vanessa Lowe . Lowe co-created the show with her husband, Kent Sparling , who works in film sound and who composes much of the show’s evocative music. Episodes begin with the chirping of crickets, the hooting of an owl, and a bit of music by Sparling that makes you want to wander out into a shadowy wood and explore. The show has a nocturnal mood, atmospheric and occasionally mysterious, that feels just right between the hours of eleven and deepest dark. Lowe has described the show as “essay radio”; most episodes tell stories. She plays with form from episode to episode. A few are impressionistic, like “ A Catalogue of Nights ,” featuring recordings of night sounds from across the world. Some are rather funny, like “(This Is Not) A Love Song ,” about people’s love for and loathing of mockingbirds. We hear intensive longer storie...