Pastoral Kettel MP3

There’s yet to be a Matador of netlabels, a Sub Pop, a Factory, a Def Jam — a place that, for some period of time, dependably, with a mix of pop magic and monocular focus, produces must-hear recordings one after another after another. There are, however, several key online collectives, loosely associated and often geographically dispersed groups of musicians who between them produce material that, while varied, has some sense of a core, shared ideal, and that keeps you coming back to see what’s new. Kracfive.com, home to the occasional “Iron Chef of Music” contests, is such a collective, thanks to contributions by folks like Colongib, Ipagos and Kettel, people who manage to sound playful and folksy, irreverent and craft-oriented, all at once, musicians unafraid of a melody, but uncommitted to songs. Kettle produced the latest entry in the site’s “MP3 Rotor” download section. The pastoral “Poire Test” (MP3) is little more than a bird chip above a low and slow mix of glitchy percussion and beading synthesis, but combined those elements are as peaceful as a Saturday afternoon when your bills are paid, your email inbox is empty and you’ve managed to forget all your cares, at least for the track’s three and a half minutes. Spring arrived a little early this year, thanks to “Poire Test.” More on Kettel (aka Reimer Eising) at kracfive.com/kettel.