YOUSSOU N’DOUR. “The Lion.” Virgin **:Albums are rated on a scale of one(poor) to five(a classic) stars

N’Dour’s association with Peter Gabriel and the Amnesty International tour caused the Senegalese vocalist to become the most visible African musician to the international pop audience, but “The Lion” stumbles badly.

Dominated by keyboards and percussion, the arrangements fashioned by producers George Acogny, David Sancious and Gabriel (on one track) strive for an appealingly spooky atmosphere but only occasionally succeed. The lack of definable hooks reduces the music to a luxuriant wash of sound that often buries N’Dour’s vocals.

The one outstanding track here is “Old Tucson,” where an intricate arrangement is solidly anchored by Habib Faye’s sonorous bass and the nagging guitar of Pap Omar Ngom. N’Dour’s rougher “Immigres” album (recorded in 1984 but released in America last year) is a superior record--not because it’s more “authentic” but because it crackles with the personality missing on “The Lion.”