The Austin group known as Magna Carda has been going strong as one of the mainstays of the hip hop scene there for years, with a series of high quality releases and one of the best live shows in town. We last heard from them in June, when they released their EP, Somewhere Between. Now they come back with another EP to close out the year, Coffee Table Talk Vol. One.

While their reputation is as a live band, which has helped separate them from the rest of the crowd, this EP is just the main duo that’s been there since day one, emcee Megz Kelli and producer Dougie Do. The result is that we get four stripped down songs with not a lot of frills. Kelli has always had a real conversational tone to her delivery – it’s not a loud voice, but it’s a strong one that clearly communicated her convictions. This fits perfectly alongside Do’s production, which in the context of this EP gets back to some early ‘90s East Coast beats, with some great upright bass, electronic piano, and crisp hi hats setting a great laid back tone. This just lets Kelli hop on the mic and spit freely, working in some clever wordplay alongside some personal confessions and shit talking. It’s a short, four-song EP, but these two manage to pack a lot into that space.

Coffee Table Talk Vol. One is a nice year-end release, reminding fans just how good Magna Carda continues to be. It’s also a nice reminder that when they take it back to the basics, you’re still getting some of the best hip hop that Austin has to offer.