When Xavier Toscano arrived at indie producer Gawain Matthews’ Bay Area studio to start working on initial tracks for his debut full length album, he was singing the phrases that set the uplifting tone of the project and ultimately became its title: “Never gonna stop ‘cause it feels so good, and it feels so good and I’m never gonna stop…” Set to an infectious pop/EDM groove, that mantra is perfect 48 second intro for Feels So Good, a freewheeling, high energy showcase for the multi-talented dancer, singer, songwriter and performer’s vibe that fuses electronic dance-urban pop with elements of rap, rock, reggae and R&B.
Leading up to the official release of Feels So Good, many of its tracks have received wide media exposure through a variety of outlets. Five tracks, including “Never Wanna Leave,” “Apologies Wasted,” “The Remedy (Feel Alright)” and “Runaway” were featured on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” (who, love ‘em or loathe ‘em, do set the standards for what’s cool in pop culture). Xavier’s video for “Runaway” has also been featured at Foot Locker stores nationwide, and his past and present music has been featured on commercials for everything from Red Bull, Pop Chips and Supercuts to Versace. Three tracks from Feels So Good were also featured on the PBS show “Roadtrip Nation.”
All of this exposure ties in perfectly with Xavier’s long-held belief that pop music is the soundtrack of our lives that etches powerful memories in our minds. He’s well on his way to taking things further with explosive, dance floor ready tracks like “Never Wanna Leave,” whose “wo wo wo” hook has been a sure-fire audience participation favorite, and “Runaway,” which celebrates youthful joy and freedom. The singer explores the more heartfelt side of his songwriting on “Apologies Wasted,” a very personal, mid-tempo gem trying to understand why the one he loves is treating him so badly; and the beautiful piano ballad “Castles in the Sky,” a wistful reflection on the innocence of first love. Another highlight is a hypnotic, percussive re-imagining of Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel Mighty Real,” produced by Frappier, who worked with the late disco legend back in the day.