When director Clint Bentley sought a composer who could translate the textures of America’s past into music, he turned to Bryce Dessner. The National’s guitarist has built a reputation for scoring evocative period film work, making him an ideal fit for a movie centered on a railroad laborer at the heart of the nation’s industrial era.

Dessner’s credits include high-profile scores and collaborations that demonstrate his range—from atmospheric film work to intimate, folk-inflected arrangements. His approach for Train Dreams blends swelling string writing with vintage analog techniques, notably employing ribbon microphones from the 1930s and ’40s to create an aged, tactile sound world.

Billboard is premiering the first piece from the soundtrack: “Passageways I: Ahead, Trembling.” Released on Thursday, October 23, 2025, the track offers a clear sense of the score’s palette—lyrical, restrained melodies that recur throughout the film in multiple guises and emotional contexts.

Recorded with contributions from members of the Oregon Symphony, “Passageways” is one strand of a broader sonic fabric Dessner designed around the film’s protagonist, Robert Grainger (portrayed by Joel Edgerton). The full soundtrack is scheduled to arrive on November 7, 2025, the same day Train Dreams becomes available on Netflix.

Dessner says he aimed for music that conveys feeling without veering into sentimentality, matching the film’s pared-back tone. Drawing on Denis Johnson’s novella as well as the film’s shifting moods, he sought contrasts of weight and lift—darker, more forceful moments counterbalanced by lighter textures—positioning the score between American folk traditions and more orchestral writing.

In addition to Train Dreams, Dessner’s recent scoring work includes The Revenant, Manhunt, The Two Popes, We Live in Time and Cyrano. Outside of film he remains an active member of The National and a frequent collaborator and producer on other major projects.

The Train Dreams cast also features Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon and William H. Macy. Below, listen to “Passageways I: Ahead, Trembling.”

For context, Bentley’s trailer for Train Dreams — released earlier this month — renewed early awards-season discussion. The film and its soundtrack release on November 7, 2025; the trailer can be viewed on YouTube, and coverage of initial reactions appeared in outlets such as Indiewire.

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