Endless bike paths, sprawling suburban neighborhoods, a well-hidden, centuries old village center – welcome to Houten, a Dutch commuter town just outside the city of Utrecht. Singer-songwriter Rick de Gier (1979), former frontman of the band Ponoka, spent his teenage years here, and now presents a musical ode to the town: Vliegtuigsporen boven Houten (translated as: Vapor trails over Houten). Featuring thirteen irresistible indie-pop songs; sung in Dutch, of course.
The project began as a book project, over a decade ago. After the release of his critically acclaimed novel Ninevé (2011) and short story collection Verdwaald in Ponoka (2013), De Gier set out to write an ambitious novel about Houten. Only after some years, and several half-finished manuscripts, did he realize the subject matter might be better suited to an album.
As a result, Vliegtuigsporen boven Houten has the feel of a musical short story collection. Featuring a colorful cast of characters living in the town, some portraits of memorable landmarks, and a Dutch cover of the Sparklehorse song Hundreds of Sparrows.
Musically, fans of Ponoka may recognize some elements: the melodic hooks, the slightly rough-edged production, the lovely backing vocals by Alice ten Brinke… But this album is very much its own project, reflecting the atmosphere of a Dutch suburban neighborhood from the eighties. Guitars play a supporting role, while the influence of synth-pop pioneers like New Order, Pet Shop Boys, and Depeche Mode is unmistakable. The sound was crafted in collaboration with former Ponoka guitarist Theo Nap, who co-performed and co-produced the album. In his Wooden Cup Studio in rural Wilnis (NL), filled with vintage synthesizers, the duo experimented endlessly with keys, knobs, and effects to create the perfect sounds – a process that eventually took up over three years. To quote a classic Ponoka song: good things happen in slow-motion.
Vliegtuigsporen boven Houten is released by Dutch indie label VOLKOREN, which also handled all four of Ponoka’s albums. This album will be VOLKOREN’s 100th release. To celebrate the launch, Rick de Gier will perform a theater performance with Theo Nap and Pim van de Werken (also ex-Ponoka), combining the songs with images and stories about Houten.
The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and on CD (via distribution partner Konkurrent) starting September 2025. For more information, visit rickdegier.com and volkoren.com.
(Dutch) Press about Rick de Gier’s earlier music:
‘Ponoka joins the front ranks of the Dutch pop scene.’ (****) De Volkskrant
‘Subtle, personal reflections from a man with character and an eye for detail.’ OOR
‘Beautiful songs.’ 3VOOR12
‘The music – let’s call it Americana – is stunning.’ Het Parool
