In Lehqt Nafsy - Pt. 2, the second instalment of the star’s Egyptian saga, Assala taps into a large pool of composers and poets for a melodic exercise that goes a long way towards showing why she remains the leader of the pack across the decades. Starting with the empowering title track, the artist, who is also known as Assala Nasri, contemplates love and loss but emerges stronger—and with a potent supply of ever-compelling material. But she saves one of many high points for last in “Sandooq”, a sinuous, misty-eyed family story that deeply connects with its evocative imagery and features a poignant children’s choir, ending the album on a deliciously bittersweet note.