When I took a little side trip into book-world last week drawn into Edens alley by the color of ghetto palms under fluorescent lights I left part of my brain behind, where its been compiling a list of other texts that have exerted some pull on this column one way or the other. Besides Rats, I just picked up The Gun which is already light-years beyond the other book I have thats about AK47s.Shadow Cities is relevant to what I do here some very obvious ways, Cloud Atlas in some way I havent quite pinned down. I got Heliopolis in the pipeline, Im planning to buy my dad a copy of TheWarmth of Other Suns for Christmas on the strength of the title alone (as far as thought-sparking titles I guess youd have to include the Secret Life of Plants) and Im also looking forward to my friend Anicees book on Passa Passa.

Rihanna f. Vybz Kartel, Whats My Name Federation Remix (Max Glazer, Ricky Blaze)
MIA, Theres Space for Ol I See
Natalie Storm, Wuk Mi Nani (Songs 2 F@#ck and Fight 2)
Matt Shadetek, Wonton Garden from Dutty House (Dutty Artz)
Blak Ryno, Nuh Tek Talk (Shadetek Remix)

http://media.thefader.com/thefader/GP124spaceblend.mp3 CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

If this weeks blend has a literary analog, though, it is the orbital Rasta enclave in Neuromancer, because to me, all these productions sound like dancehall queens clashing in zero gravity. Maybe Im projecting, but I know for a fact Natalie Storms manager/producer Prodigal is up on his cyberpunk game and god only knows what kind of crazy sci-fi Matt Shadetek reads . MIA, I assume, doesnt have to read it cause she lives it.

But the real queen of this satellite-hive is the Whats My Name refix. Max Glazer. who used to be her tour DJ, called in some heavyweight favors and got Ricky Blaze and Vybz Kartel in the studio. They all did a number to its body-structure, coming out with this exclusive and brilliant dancehall version. I believe this one can go the far distance, so when I say its not an official remix, I mean its not official yet. Max technically debuted it on the Federation p*o*dcast, but best believe I was next in line.