Less than a year after a heart attack onstage in Romania, Al Di Meola sounds healthy and fully able to do what he does best. Twentyfour is one of his more-upbeat efforts, mixing nylon-string and electric guitar with Indian percussion, as in the dazzling “Capriccio Suite.” For “Ava’s Dance in the Moonlight,” he mixes sustaining, overdriven lines with passionate orchestral strings. Turning 70 this summer, Di Meola’s picking chops remain as ferocious as ever.

“Immeasurable” is a three-part suite, opening with Di Meola’s trademark percussive chord figures. Melodies, arpeggios, and guitar-synthesizer accents turn on a dime, creating the Latin-tinged complexity we’ve come to expect. “Eden” adds a new wrinkle with lush, mesmerizing vocals, adding a fresh dimension to Al’s repertoire.

The electric comes back out of the case for “Paradox of Puppets,” an enchanting stomper, as well as “Genetik,” the heaviest riffing on the album, again mixed with acoustic. There are some of his screaming runs of yore, but over funky drums and percussion. To close the album, “Precocious” is an uptempo acoustic burner, matching guitar and percussion in a thrilling dance. It’s good to hear Di Meola happy and healthy, making exotic, intoxicating music.

This article originally appeared in VG’s July 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.