The New York Times called “Shifting the Atmosphere” “an excellent first single…a religious quiet-storm ballad;” and praised Nelson’s “husky, grainy, gorgeous voice.” With a Top-10 radio position, that sentiment is being echoed throughout the Gospel music industry and Nelson is headed towards being one of the breakout successes of 2012. Nelson says that, with “Shifting the Atmosphere,” he wants people to understand that when they get in trouble, when things get rough, they can worship their way into a better circumstance. “Worship invites God into your space, and wherever God is, things have to change. That’s where we get ‘shifting the atmosphere.’”

In addition to the title track, some of the highlights on SHIFTING THE ATMOSPHERE include the beautiful worship ballad “No Words,” featuring Leon Timbo; the mesmeric “Dominion,” which declares to every ailment or negative circumstance, ‘you no longer have dominion over me’; and the heartfelt anthem “Nothing Without You”.

“We worked hard to put together a CD with no fillers,” says Nelson. “By the time people get to the last song, I want listeners to feel like their atmosphere has really shifted. I hope that the CD helps people to redefine themselves and their relationships with God, and to worship God in an intense way. I want people to see God, hear God and experience Him in a profound way.”

A gifted songwriter, Nelson wrote or co-wrote the majority of the songs on SHIFTING THE ATMOSPHERE. His previous writing credits include “Thirsty” and “Place of Worship,” which were recorded by Marvin Sapp.

Nelson is pastor of Greater Bethlehem Temple near Baltimore, Maryland.

SHIFTING THE ATMOSPHERE will be available for pre-order beginning May 1 on iTunes and Amazon.com. The CD will be in stores May 22.