Epic Levels

Epic Levels is a multi-hyphenate that started as a comedy D&D rap outfit that has begun an mini-empire of podcasts, game accessories, apparel, and book publishing all under the same banner. Their latest music releases are “Dark Sunglasses” & “Bugbear Barber.”

On “Dark Sunglasses,” they delve into apocalyptic fantasy desert worlds, toying with the lore of D&D’s Dark Sun campaign setting while meshing with other sand-related properties like Frank Herbert’s Dune, Mad Max and Star Wars’ Tatooine. Treating over-the-top material with deadly seriousness lands “Dark Sunglasses” somewhere in the sonic space shared by CZARFACE, Danny Brown and Tyler, the Creator.

“Bugbear Barber” brings barbershop culture into the fantasy realm of Dungeons & Dragons. Hideous monsters are made dapper by the titular bugbear barber. Traditionally, a bugbear is a war-loving oafish brute, but here he brings class and style to classic D&D monsters.

Epic Levels’ debut album, Armor Classy, meets at the inspired intersection of hip hop and Dungeons and Dragons. The group breathes life into eclectic topics like stealing the dank stank off of a dapper minotaur and a mad chef’s quest for the perfect leviathan calamari. The album skillfully maneuvers from funk grooves over boom bap beats to synth-laden party anthems. Members of Epic Levels have shared bills with Washed Out, Arrested Development, Belle and Sebastian, Amanda Palmer, Hospitality, Pile & Single Mothers.