In 2002, a London-based duo released an album under the eponymous title '1 Giant Leap'. Issued as a DVD documenting its creation, most of the musical and vocal performances included in the final release were recorded during a six-month globetrotting journey, taking in such far-flung places as Senegal, Ghana, India, Nepal, Australia, New Zealand and the US. Featured musicians included Neneh Cherry, Robbie Williams, Michael Stipe, Baaba Maal and Maxi Priest, with spoken word contributions from Tom Robbins and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
All these performances were captured in the moment, on the hoof and often in remote locations, frequently without a recording studio – sometimes without a building of any kind – in sight. No audio interface. No mixing desk. Not even a microphone in some cases – just the built-in mic on an Apple G4 PowerBook laptop.
The point of this story? Well, that album – much of it recorded with the barest of bare bones equipment – was...