Pre-release album can only be heard in the woods

Swedish band John Moose will only play their debut album to listeners who are in the woods.

Some albums seem made for a lazy Sunday morning at home, while others sound just right on the subway. The debut album from Swedish band John Moose, is, apparantly, perfect for the woods. So much so in fact, that the band will only let listeners hear it in certain geo-specific sites.

John Moose have pre-released their album via a mobile app, which uses the device’s GPS to work out if the listener is in the woods. If it determines that they are, it will then allow them to preview the band’s songs. The band are hoping that the free app will encourage fans and journalists to seek out the peace and serenity of nature for a unique listening experience. Fittingly, the album contains songs about escapism, isolation and the human connection with nature. The app — created by the band’s drummer Tobias Norén — is free to download.

We have seen GPS used to supplement content in the past: The Silent History is a serialized iPad novel which offers readers additional content when they travel to specific real-world locations. Are there other ways to manipulate and enhance the mobile listening experience by connecting it to the real world?