Daily Dose: Holy Hive, “The Things Themselves”

Daily Dose is your daily source for the song you absolutely, positively need to hear every day. Curated by the Paste Music Team.

New York folk/soul trio Holy Hive will release Harping, their debut EP on Big Crown Records, and the second single (and track) from the six-track set is out today, May 6.

“The Things Themselves” finds Holy Hive—that is, Dap-King Homer Steinweiss (drums), Paul Spring (guitar, vocals) and Joe “Tone” Harrison (bass)—teaming up with Los Angeles singer-songwriter SASAMI (aka Sasami Ashworth), who contributes lead vocals to the lovely tune (plus one other on the EP). Harpist Mary Lattimore also accompanies the trio on their new single, as she does on all of the aptly named Harping’s songs.

Ashworth’s vocals, light and delicate, evoke the very “January snow” she sings about, with Spring’s restlessly roving guitar, and Steinweiss’ and Harrison’s low end as her sturdy framework. Lattimore, meanwhile, looses gorgeous harp flourishes here and there, some blending with Spring’s bent notes and others standing glowingly alone.

Ashworth and Lattimore are just two of many collaborators whom Holy Hive recruited to appear on Harping, including (but by no means limited to) various “Big Crown Family” members. The EP features Dave Guy on trumpet, Nick Movshon on bass, Katie Jacoby and Kristine Kruta on strings, Leon Michels on “vibes,” and Jens Jungkurth, Chris Connors, and Alex Deturk as “sound sculptors,” according to Big Crown.

Listen to “The Things Themselves” below. You can preorder Harping here.