Given his unstoppable energy and impressively consistent output, it’s often easy to forget that Abade Al Johar, aka the Octopus of the Oud, kicked off his career in the 1960s. Here, he re-establishes his strong ties to Gulf traditions while simultaneously enriching the idiom with a tide of romantic odes that put his visceral voice and sinuous oud front and centre. Fan favourite “Ma Khathet” rotates stomping percussive beats around an ear-grabbing melody, while “Sheft Al Waham” remains delicately playful with stop-and-start treats and fleeting contemporary explorations.