Nathen calls his unique brand of music “Conscious Pop”, and that title suits him well. Nathen plays a unique instrument called the “NS Stick” that allows him to play chords and have a bass line happening at the same time. When you layer in his silky vocals, you have a stunningly produced CD that will let you get a great message and dance at the same time! What more could you ask for?
“A Prayer to You” is a prayer that we will see the Divine in everything we say and do each day. Yes, it’s still easy to get bogged down in routine and duties, but this musical reminder might allow us to look at the routine through different eyes.
“To Love” is a lovely semi-acoustic number calling us to find the grace to love. What a beautiful sentiment! We can all make the choice to love each and every day, in situations where love isn’t always the first place we go.
“Go For It All” is a rocker! There is a lot of wisdom in these lyrics. We are reminded to reach for the stars and to go for our dreams rather than surrender to the grind of daily life.
“A WholeHearted Life” is one of my favourite songs on the CD. With its happy island beat, it calls us to know that, although nothing is certain, we can choose to make a brand new choice. We can choose to create a whole-hearted life, knowing that no matter what is or isn’t done, we can choose to speak our heart and live our lives to the fullest.
This new CD from Nathen has a variety of rhythms and styles, including the lovely a cappella “River Song” and a gospel number called “Love Is All of Us”. Beautifully produced with catchy melodies, interesting chord progressions, funky bass lines, inspiring lyrics, and stunning vocals, I think you will find that this CD is one that you will play over and over again. Well done, Nathen!Sue K Riley, emPower Music and Arts (March 2014)

The album “YES” by Nathen Aswell is a celebration of life, transformation, evolution and oneness of humanity, delivered in a variety of popular music styles. He captures the heart by affirming universal truth in upbeat and tender songs about facing the uncertainties of life with faith in self, each other and the Divine source of all. The reaffirming theme is a connection between thoughts, words, feelings, action and results, encouraging personal responsibility for the choice of how to perceive circumstances and events. This CD is a non-denominational love song to God.
The title song “I Say Yes” is a head-nodding positive affirmation about harnessing the power of thought. This song is an ideal pick for an on-the-way-to-work play list, setting the mindset for intentional co-creation. “Go For It All” is an upbeat soft rock song reminding the listener s/he is God’s expression of perfection in human form. It suggests that a profound trust replace illusions of the external world. “The Faith of God” is about unlearning limiting beliefs, embracing faith, forgiving the self and being mindful that every thought and word is a prayer. The album has clear and clean production aligned with engineering perfection, providing the listener with a smooth entertainment experience. Ideal performance venues include religious services and social events as well as any gathering of spiritually-minded people. The music will be a welcome addition to positive mental attitude collections.Rosemarie Ashley, Positive Music Association (November 2013)

Nathen Aswell is a gifted musician and songwriter from British Columbia. Many of you will recognize Nathen from Sound Connections and from the house band at the Empower Posi Awards and from those amazing “jams” out under the stars. Nathen is a totally amazing guitarist and bassist and his songs have rhythm!
These songs invite the listener to take a break from rushing around trying to complete the items on your “to do” list and instead, to breathe in the moment, allowing your good to find you and to realize that in this one moment you can do or be anything that you desire. One of my favorites from this CD is the song “Here and Now”. This song speaks about the importance of realizing that we have the power to restore our lives to the present moment. Instead of worrying about the future or regretting the past, we can embrace the “now” and make positive change.
“Choose Love” invites us to always choose the path of love. When faced with those everyday decisions about which path to choose, we can always find the right path by choosing the path that reflects love. Who wouldn’t like a little more love in their lives?
“Little by Little” reminds us that every day is a new adventure and that anything we might undertake begins with that first step. Nathen reminds us that it is sometimes impossible to see the outcome of change when you’re in the middle of it. With a totally cool groove and a positive spin, this song reminds us that everyone is undergoing the same remarkable possibility of positive change and that things happen “little by little”.
I enjoy this CD. The songs are all catchy and upbeat, without being preachy. And, the songs all give us a glimpse into the wonderful energy and presence of Nathen.Sue K Riley, emPower Music and Arts (June 2010)

In addition to being an exceptionally produced collection of songs that support a conscious life, Nathen Aswell’s debut CD “Little By Little” uses the power of vibration to create a spiritually interactive listener experience. The presentation opens and closes with a ceremonial ringing of a meditation bell, subconsciously preparing the listener for an energy-balancing, mystically cleansing connection to the Cosmos. Nathen sings directly to the soul, using a combination of professional excellence, entertaining melodies and a sincere delivery, including exceptional a capella performances and engaging harmonies. Song lyrics include messages for action-oriented personal growth, universal love and divine oneness. The musical style varies from light percussion and acoustic to adult contemporary, smooth jazz and a little funk.
“Breathe” is a daring a capella duet with hair-raising harmonies that balance male and female energy in divine communion. “I Can See You” is a Divine embrace of omni-present love. “Choose Love” celebrates free will in a relevant distinction between fear and love-based decisions. “Psalm 96” is a work of artistic genius, blending the human voice with tastefully engineered effects to passionately deliver ancient poetry to soothe the body, calm the mind and regenerate the soul. “Little By Little” is an introspective journey within, appropriate for any age and nearly every belief system.Rosemarie Ashley, Positive Music Association (March 2010)

Set to funky little tunes and energetic grooves, singer-songwriter Nathen Aswell’s lyrics have the type of messages that are empowering, inspiring, enlightening, and relaxing. In fact, his lyrics read like mantras or meditations, or better, words in a “self-help” book. “Get out of your head and just do it… Animate, energize, stimulate, go to it… Do that thing that makes you sing…”
How many times you have found a song in your head that repeats over and over and over? And how many times has a song left you in a good mood? And how many times has a song left you in a bad one? It happens to me all of the time. What can I say? I am audio orientated… Highly sensitive in that area.
This week someone sent me a YouTube video featuring an artist from Detroit that sang about how “cold” it was there, and meant that in every sense of the word. I could feel her pain and her lyrics stuck with me… Stuck with me like a bad Dodger Dog. Urgghh! Not so good for the sub-conscious. Because after two days of singing her hook, I needed to purge. But, thank goodness I had something to replace it with.
“Little By Little” by Nathen Aswell is the type of audio that you should listen to. Not necessarily for entertainment purposes, but for a better well being. In other words, these songs do a mind, body, and spirit good. Think of his music as something to power-up with when you are running low on energy. Like one of those protein bars that are complete or well-balanced. Or you could say, “A Nathen Aswell song a day keeps the head doctor away!” I think you get the picture.
But, if you are the type that reads “self-help” books, takes yoga, believes in a higher power, and is inspired by Truth – this is the CD for you.
So, the next time you have a bad case of the blahs, be sure to check out “Do That Thing”, “Be Still” “Little By Little”, and “I Am Walking” by Nathen Aswell. You will have a whole new attitude!Jennifer Washington, Acoustic Fuel Co-Op

When Vancouver, British Columbia’s Nathen Aswell talks about his debut CD “Little by Little” one can’t help but think that he’s talking about a journey. In the liner notes, he writes about the journey of making the 13 tracks that make up the CD. The cover shot features a path through the woods, no doubt taken on one of those crisp fall days that the West Coast of Canada is famous for. And the songs themselves reflect a multi-faceted journey: a musical quest and a personal one.
I first met Nathen at the (Chapman) Stick seminar he hosted in Vancouver back in the mid-90s. At the time he was playing Stick. Since then, he has moved to NS Stick, yet another journey. On NS Stick, as this CD shows, Nathen has found his instrumental voice. Originally a bass player, the bass grooves on “Little by Little” are tight, solid, and crisp, with no shortage of pop-funk feel. The NS Stick chords and melodic accompaniments are likewise crisp and can’t help but reflect the influence of another wonderful NS Stick player: Don Schiff.
Nathen’s musical voice is strong – think of well crafted, Police inspired pop rock tunes – but the real highlight is Nathen’s actual voice. This guy can sing! Open, honest, real, enveloping, you can hear all this and more the instant Nathen’s vocals start. The lyrics are coming from a deeper place and it is as if Nathen has found a way into that deeper place and effortlessly lets those words launch themselves, with passion and commitment, out into the world. Of course the amount of effort it takes to sound effortless is obvious, but since the art is to conceal the art, then Nathen’s singing can only be described as masterful.
Two songs stand out for me. The title track, “Little By Little” has gotten into my head, and pleasantly doesn’t seem to want to get out, and his voice on “Psalm 96” is simply too much to try and define in these words.
I keep going back to the idea of “Little by Little” as the reflection and representation of a journey. It sounds like Nathen’s journey towards music and personal discovery, or perhaps little snapshots taken along the way.
Either way, many thanks to Nathen for sharing both the road and some of his stops along the road with me. If you’re looking for some inspirational, self-affirming music to accompany you on your journeys, I invite you to check out Nathen’s music too.Jim Reilly, StickNews

If you ever need some listening music that is positive, happy and uplifting then you must acquire a copy of a CD called “Little By Little”. Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer Nathen Aswell has recorded an upbeat and uplifting performance of 11 originals. Nathen’s crystal-clear voice is well out front in this recording and his vocal performances show that he has an incredible range (a la Stevie Wonder) and knows how to use it. There are plenty of styles presented on this CD. Just when you think it is going to be contemporary rock/pop throughout, Nathen comes up with a composition called “More Than Enough” that takes you back to the 30s style. This song is complete with a well-done vocal imitation of a trumpet solo just like the Mills Brothers (remember them?) used to do. The next track on the CD is a smooth jazz waltz called “Just Like This”. Nathen’s vocal is accompanied by guitarist Daryl Jahnke and drummer Shawn Soucy. A great duet sung on a song called “Breathe” features a flawless a cappella performance by Nathen and Linda Kidder. Another composition called “Psalm 96” and sung solo a cappella by Nathen uses reverb very effectively and the performance is simply the best. Other guest performers on the CD include drummer Phil Robertson, guitarist Andreas Schuld, cellist Finn Manniche and percussionist Lauri Lyster. The CD was mixed and mastered by Miles Hill. To purchase this great CD, go to www.bruha.com or www.nathenaswell.com on the internet, or e-mail nathenaswell@me.com.Bob Hales, President of Vancouver Musicians' Association, UPBeat

Vocalist Nathen Aswell treads an easy-listening path to enlightenment on his debut CD Little By Little. Blue-eyed soul, lite funk and upbeat pop combine with Aswell’s assured delivery for a pleasant, unbumpy, ride.Shawn Conner, The Vancouver Courier

A fine, evidently trained Vancouver singer musically mapping his spiritual quest. You’ll hear flashes of influences like Steely Dan occasionally but this is mostly an original set with some inspired arrangements.John P. McLaughlin, The Province

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