There’s a certain clarity when an artist starts with the facts of their own derailment, and “One Fleeting Glance” lands exactly there. Thistle Sifter — the cinematic post-rock project led by English musician Pete Barnes, now based in Utrecht — is opening the path toward the new album “Forever The Optimist” with a single that circles around recovery, reassessment, and whatever comes after you’re thrown off course without warning.
The track arrives on 14 November 2025 as the first piece from the third album, due 6 February 2026 on digital, vinyl and CD, followed the next day by a full-band audiovisual release show at dBs in Utrecht and a spring run through the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Written and performed by Barnes, with additional guitars by Nils Breunese and drums by Koen Klarenbeek, it carries the same hands-on imprint as the rest of his work. Production comes from Tom Broshuis and Barnes, while mixing duties were handled by Roy Rosendaal at Studio Ruisendaal, with mastering by Pier-Durk Hogeterp. The accompanying video is directed by Robert Smeekes.
Barnes frames “One Fleeting Glance” as a moment of hope after a long interruption. He was “literally catapulted into disarray” by a serious cycling accident in November 2020, an event that left injuries severe enough to stall his life and force a full recalibration. The aftermath brought what he describes as “a somewhat dysfunctional existence” and a growing disconnection from parts of his life he once treated as stable. The single doesn’t dramatize that experience; instead, it sits with it, offering a brief window into what acceptance looks like when it’s still in progress.
“Forever The Optimist” stretches further than his previous records “A Spectral Moon” (2022) and “Circles” (2024), which were grounded in themes of health, letting go and personal endurance.
This time, Barnes pushes toward something more outward-facing, writing about land use, animal rights, cobalt mining in the Congo, climate breakdown, neoliberalism and the media’s role in mass violence. The album leans into a more eclectic, symphonic palette and each of its eight compositions comes paired with thematic visuals. He notes that the conceptual spine of the record draws heavily from writers Jay Griffiths, George Monbiot, Omar El Akkad and Siddharth Kara.
That broader shift doesn’t erase the personal thread that shaped Thistle Sifter from the start. The project emerged after the accident as a way for Barnes to work through the immediate emotional turbulence. His sound has grown into a blend of serene post-rock, space-tilted synth ambience, evolving textures and lo-fi folk — elements that make room for contemplation without leaning on grandeur.
The live setup brings this material into a more expansive form. Recent years have seen Thistle Sifter perform across Europe, including AFAS Live in Amsterdam with Sigur Rós, Le Guess Who? in Utrecht and Roadburn in Tilburg. They’ve shared stages with Oh Hiroshima, Midas Fall, Törzs and Mother of Millions. The current live lineup includes Barnes on guitar and synths, Breunese on guitar, Alex Rushmer on bass and synths, and Klarenbeek on drums.
“Forever The Optimist” will be self-released, with physical editions published by Freia Music and distributed through Dutch Music Works.
