“Universal Outsider” by Matthew Liam Nicholson

Australian artist Matthew Liam Nicholson has crafted something truly rare with “Universal Outsider” a soul-expanding journey that feels as much like a spiritual offering as it does an album. Recorded and produced over five years in Los Angeles, the record brings together psychedelic shimmer, folk-rock depth, and a cinematic emotional arc that positions Nicholson as both a seasoned composer and a sonic alchemist.

The opener “Hanalei” eases us into this world with gentle piano and an almost mythic calm, while “Time Machine” and “The Worm Turns” strike that delicate balance between introspection and uplift, nostalgia and resilience. These songs invite the listener into cycles of transformation, buoyed by lush guitar lines, pedal steel whispers, and lyrics that hover between the poetic and the profound.

There’s a duality at the heart of “Universal Outsider” from the celestial ambiance of instrumentals like “Sirian Song” and “Motefish,” to the grounded, percussive pulse of “Bodies.” It’s not just eclectic, it’s intentional. Nicholson channels both softness and strength in equal measure, whether through the brooding psychedelia of “Priests and Magistrates” or the aching beauty of “Alone by the Sea.”

In a world of fleeting singles and algorithm-driven trends, “Universal Outsider” stands tall as a cohesive, meticulously built album one that rewards full immersion. It’s a rare work that manages to be both otherworldly and deeply human.