"Don't Forget The Ice" by XL Rellz: EP Review

Stand-out Track: "ICARUS"

From Spotify. Paradoccs does not claim to own this cover art.

XL Rellz delivers a nonchalant summer EP complete with seasonal imagery and vivid experiences floating in a shimmering pool of saturated bass lines and buttery vocals. The first track of the EP jumps into a rhythmic pattern decorated with stretchy bass strings that bounce with each soothing lick of vocal expertise. This track is playful, laid-back, and produced masterfully. XL Rellz works with vocal effects that accentuate the stability of his standalone EP. Clever verses demand attention during unsuspecting lulls of lax lyricism that perfectly communicate a hot, casual summer. 

“Waiting on Youuuuuu” is the second track of the stand-out EP, and it mixes sounds like Wallows, Post Malone, and The Weeknd to curate a track singular to XL Rellz. His voice is impressively dynamic with the ability to shift and fill different auditory spaces in the same, satisfying way. This second track follows a lively soundscape with longing lyricism that juggles heartache and the sunshine of summer. Layered vocals add a complexity to the track that compliments a mellow soundscape. He describes the seasonal nature of love as he compares himself to the leaves of fall, looking forward to the promise of sunshine. The song also aligns impeccably with the overall themes and sounds of the EP, without sounding repetitive. 

“ICARUS” is THE song of the summer. It’s the third track of “Don’t Forget The Ice” and it is gaining recognition. Given its textbook summer sound flecked with XL Rellz’s outstanding vibe and taste, this track is stellar. The variation in intro, bridge, and chorus in XL Rellz’s work is stunning, and we just know he is going to be a top artist. “ICARUS” shows personality, talent, skill, and twists the mainstream love songs into something groovy and indescribable. Vocals by XL Rellz work to chill and serve a yearning for summer love, timely, and on ice. The intro features a lighthearted self shout out followed by humming vocals, vibrant guitar, and an almost synthy drum pattern that encompass careful lyricism. XL Rellz controls note changes with a jarring precision that invites listeners to hit “replay”, and ICARUS showcases his duality confidently. 

XL Rellz causes whiplash in a frustrated, light rap track that leaves listeners with the final bitter taste of being left to rot like “spilled milk”. He doesn’t let this affect his creativity and style as he keeps composure throughout the whole track. With a fast-paced approach, XL Rellz glazes over mistakes and hard feelings with acoustic strings and a synth bass beat. XL Rellz uses puns, sprightly voiceovers, and ironic stories to construct a track that copes with betrayal like its “No Big dill”.

This EP escalates in just 4 songs, artfully, and we love it. XL Rellz’s new EP “Don’t Forget The Ice” was just released on July 13th. XL Rellz is from Pittsburgh, PA, and he started his music career in high school with freestyles and poetry. His first song “Chimneys” was released in 2020 and his first EP “The Heart Complex” was released in 2025. We hope that XL Rellz will get the recognition he deserves as a talented artist, and individual, very soon. Add “Don’t Forget The Ice” to your playlist, and go support XL Rellz on his socials linked below. 

For more of XL Rellz:

Spotify

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By Paradoccs Blog

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