Global Music Pulse: The Latest Music News From Around The Planet

EDITED BY NIGEL WILLIAMSON

YUSUF ISLAM, formerly known as Cat Stevens, will release a new album titled "A Is For Allah" in January. The album, on his own Mountain of Light imprint, contains songs about his Islamic faith. His only other releases since his religious conversion in 1977 have been the predominantly spoken-word albums "The Life Of The Last Prophet" and "The Prayers Of The Last Prophet." Meanwhile, speculation is growing that Islam might be persuaded to return to performing after an interview in which he admitted that he missed his old fans. "On reflection, there are many things in my songs that remain true today. I am now happy to reconnect and say to people I haven't really gone that far away," he said. Several promoters have expressed an interest in staging a comeback concert for Islamic charities. A new compilation, "Remembering Cat Stevens-The Ultimate Collection," was released Nov. 15 on Island/Universal. NIGEL WILLIAMSON
DUTCH rock prima donna Anouk has scored a second No. 1 album with her self-produced "Urban Solitude" (Dino Music/BMG). The successor to 1997's chart-topping "Together Alone," the new album integrates rap, funk, and metal but stylistically reaches far beyond rock. The first single, "R U Kiddin' Me," which has a reggae tinge that recalls the Police, entered the singles chart at No. 3. The majority of the 13 tracks were co-written by Anouk and Bart van Veen. Dinand Woesthoff, the singer with Kane, and Billy The Kid's Ricardo Pronk also contributed songs. ROBBERT TILLI
ONCE dubbed South Africa's Seattle, the humid seaside city of Durban continues to brew some potent sounds on "C-Weed-Version 2.0" (Universal), a collection of 19 of the freshest, mostly unsigned bands in the city. The contributions are billed as "Durban Rock 1999," but most fit more easily into pop. Standouts come from Manchuri Resin, Jane Doe, Oil & Water (sounding like a late-'90s version of the Go-Betweens), and Ichabod. Contact details are included for each of the acts to promote interest from booking agents and other record labels. The project was propelled by the unflagging energy of Pedro Carlo, Universal's consultant in Durban, and all of the bands were produced by David Birch (ex-member of Squeal). "I had the coolest time producing this album. This clutch of Durban bands are the vanguard of the next wave," he says. DIANE COETZER
HAMPENBERG'S SECOND single, "Grab That Thing" (Universal), has followed its predecessor to the top of the Danish singles sales chart as well as the club and dance request lists. The record has been top five since its Oct. 7 release, repeating the success of the duo's debut single, "Last Night," which was a big club hit last summer. The unlikely success story began when duo members Morten Hampenberg and Thomas Salling attempted remixes on primitive home equipment and came up with a fresh blend of pop and trance. Universal released the duo's self-titled album Oct. 27 at home and is now aiming at foreign markets. "We're looking toward a March release in as many countries as possible," says Universal A&R man Michael Guldhammer. CHARLES FERRO
SIR CLIFF RICHARD has confounded the U.K. music industry by securing the 14th No. 1 hit of his career with "The Millennium Prayer" after splitting from EMI, his record company of 41 years, when it refused to release the single. The success of the record, which sets the Lord's Prayer to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne," has been achieved without radio play after even BBC Radio 2, which caters to a largely middle-aged audience, said it lacked "broad-enough appeal." "The Millennium Prayer" was released by Papillon, the label started earlier this year by ex-Chrysalis executives Roy Eldridge and Mike Andrews. "EMI said they didn't see it as a single, so I took it to Papillon," Richard says. "I'm overwhelmed that people seem to have defied broadcasters and their playlists and made up their own minds." In an unusual marketing tactic, the record was mailed to 650 churches so it could be played during services on the Sunday prior to release. According to Eldridge, the record shipped 575,000 units in its first two weeks. Proceeds are going to the Children's Promise charity. NIGEL WILLIAMSON