Music of Portal 2

File:Jonathan Coulton cropped.jpg, who provided the song "Still Alive" for the first Portal, was asked to compose the game's final credits song, "Want You Gone".]]

Jonathan Coulton's song "Still Alive", which is sung by GLaDOS (voiced by Ellen McLain) over Portal{{'}}s end credits, was considered a large part of Portal's success; in designing Portal 2, Valve desired to incorporate more music into the game, including further involvement from Coulton.{{cite magazine|title=Portal 2|first=Meagan|last=VanBurkleo|date=April 2010|pages=50–62|magazine=Game Informer}} Coulton wrote a new song for the game's ending credits, "Want You Gone", also written from GLaDOS's viewpoint.{{cite web | url = http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/712014/portal-2-ending-song-want-you-gone-by-jonathan-coulton-video-and-lyrics/ | title = Portal 2 Ending Song: Want You Gone by Jonathan Coulton Video and Lyrics | first = Dana | last = Vinson | date = 2011-04-20 | accessdate = 2011-04-21 | publisher = G4 TV | archive-date = 2012-10-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121017092218/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/712014/portal-2-ending-song-want-you-gone-by-jonathan-coulton-video-and-lyrics/ | url-status = dead }} Coulton had discussed with Erik Wolpaw about whether an ending song would be necessary, and how they could create "an emotional moment" comparable to "Still Alive", back in 2009 when Portal 2{{'}}s ending was not yet determined.{{Cite book | asin = B004XMZZKQ | title = The Final Hours of Portal 2 | first = Geoff | last = Keighley | year = 2011}} Also available as iPad or Steam application. Other options were considered, such as several "joke songs" and false endings for the game. Ultimately the game's finale, where GLaDOS effectively "breaks up" with Chell, was set by the last quarter of 2010, and Coulton played the game as it had been developed to that point to generate ideas. Elements of the ending, such as Chell being told to leave Aperture with the door slamming behind her, led to the development of main chorus line "I used to want you dead, but now I only want you gone." Coulton wrote the lyrics and composed the song over the course of several days, with John Flansburgh assisting on electronic drums, and traveled to Valve's headquarters in January 2011 to record it with McLain.

In addition to its inclusion in the Portal 2 soundtrack, a version of "Want You Gone" as sung by Coulton appears on his 2011 album Artificial Heart.{{cite web |url = http://geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/29/hes-not-a-code-monkey-anymore/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111201104950/http://geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/29/hes-not-a-code-monkey-anymore/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = December 1, 2011 | title = He's not a 'code monkey' anymore | first = Elizabeth | last = Landau | publisher = CNN | date = 2011-11-29 | accessdate = 2011-11-29 }}

{{main|Exile Vilify}}

File:The National Live2.jpg worked with Valve to create "Exile Vilify" used in conjunction with one of the dens of the Rat Man within the game.]]

The indie rock band The National provided another original song, "Exile Vilify"; its lyrics were composed by the group and reviewed by Valve to ensure they fit with the tone of one of the Rattmann's dens, where it appears in-game.{{cite web |url =http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/03/11/the-national-to-provide-song-for-portal-2/ | title = The National To Provide Song For Portal 2 | first = John | last = Walker | date = 2011-03-11 | accessdate = 2011-03-11 | publisher = Rock, Paper, Shotgun}}{{cite web | url = http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/04/the-national-release-exile-vilify-off-portal-2-sou.html | title = The National Release "Exile Vilify" off Portal 2 Soundtrack | first = Nathan | last = Spicer | date = 2011-04-19 | accessdate = 2011-04-19 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191019185705/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/04/the-national-release-exile-vilify-off-portal-2-sou.html | archive-date = 2019-10-19 | work = Paste Magazine}} The National had expressed an interest in doing music for Valve to Bug Music, their publishing label, which the label forwarded on to Valve in discussing other music opportunities for the game. Valve and Bug Music identified that The National would fit well into Portal 2, as their "raw and emotive music evokes the same visceral reactions from its listeners that Portal does from its players" according to Bug Music's spokesperson Julia Betley.{{cite web | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-11-the-national-write-song-for-portal-2 | title = The National write song for Portal 2 | first = Fred | last = Dutton | date = 2011-03-11 | accessdate = 2011-03-11 | publisher = Eurogamer }} The song is considered by Paste to be a "haunted, piano-lead ballad" similar to the band's song "Think You Can Wait" used in the film Win Win. "Exile Vilify" is not included in the freely downloadable Portal 2 soundtrack, but instead was released as a digital single by the band.

After the game's release, Valve and The National ran a contest encouraging users to create their own music video for "Exile Vilify", offering as prizes Valve merchandise and a guitar signed by members of the band.{{cite magazine | url = https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/15/valve-announced-portal-2-music-video-contest.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110619083200/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/15/valve-announced-portal-2-music-video-contest.aspx | url-status = live | archive-date = June 19, 2011 | title = Valve Announces Portal 2 Music Video Contest | first = Phil | last = Koller | date = 2011-06-15 | access-date = 2011-06-17 | magazine = Game Informer}} Of 320 videos submitted, Valve ultimately awarded two videos first prize. One video featured a sock puppet that "had nothing to do with Portal" but "managed to beautifully capture the spirit of the song", while the other provided an animated retelling of the Lab Rat comic.{{cite web | url = http://www.thinkwithportals.com/videocontest/ | title = Portal 2 Music Video Contest | date = 2011-08-09 | accessdate = 2011-08-10 | publisher = Valve}}{{cite web | url = http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/09/7320676-sad-sock-puppet-wins-portal-2-contest | title = Sad sock puppet wins 'Portal 2' contest | first = Winda | last = Benedetti | date = 2011-08-09 | accessdate = 2011-08-10 | publisher = MSNBC | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110904024116/http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/09/7320676-sad-sock-puppet-wins-portal-2-contest | archivedate = 2011-09-04 }}{{clear}}

Valve's Mike Morasky was the lead composer for the game's backing music.{{cite web | url = http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2011/04/29/faqs-about-the-portal-2-song/ | title = FAQs About the Portal 2 Song | first = Jonathan | last = Coulton | date = 2011-04-29 | accessdate = 2011-05-20 | publisher = jonathancoulton.net}} In keeping with the theme from Portal, Morasky wanted to create music that kept an "old future through a new lens" approach, such as by using minimalist electronic piano or mangled chiptunes.{{Cite web | url = http://www.plogue.com/mike-morasky/ | title = Mike Morasky interview at PLOGUE | first = David | last = Viens | date = 2012-04-19 | accessdate = 2012-05-06 }}{{Cite web | url = http://www.gamesradar.com/portal-2s-dynamic-music-an-interview-with-composer-mike-morasky-and-five-tracks-to-listen-to-now/ | title = Portal 2's dynamic music - an interview with composer Mike Morasky, and five tracks to listen to now! | first = Tyler | last= Wilde | date = 2011-04-13 | accessdate = 2011-10-04 | publisher = GamesRadar }} He also wanted to create music that would sound like it would have been composed by a computer, citing the use of "stiff arpeggios, math-like voice leading, odd rhythm patterns and whole tone scales" as a means to achieve this. Morasky also incorporated the briefly-seen singing turrets—all voiced by McLain— in the piece "Cara Mia Addio!" after recalling that she was a former opera singer, and used snippets of her singing to create something that still sounded synthetic.{{cite book | title = Portal 2: Collector's Edition Guide | publisher = Gardners Books | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-3-86993-038-1}} Except for McLain's vocals, all the music is based on synthesized or sampled sounds, and even with McLain, her voice was resampled to make it sound like a computer. McLain wrote "GLaDOS' Song" (possibly better known as "Don't Say Goodbye"{{Citation|title=Portal - Don't Say Goodbye (GLaDOS' Song)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihYVZFl-Ck0|language=en|access-date=2021-02-24}}) from the character's point of view, showing GLaDOS' more sentimental connection to Chell. She intended it to be an Easter egg, though it was not used in the game.{{Cite web|title=GLaDOS and The Sniper: A Voice Acting Love Story|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/78xdgg/glados-and-the-sniper|access-date=2021-02-24|website=www.vice.com|date=31 March 2015 |language=en}} Jagger Gravning of Vice later had her record the song with her husband John Patrick Lowrie, and Lowrie uploaded it to YouTube in 2015.{{Cite web|title=GLaDOS' Song - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgiNKEXtx7I&t=0s|access-date=2021-02-24|website=www.youtube.com}}

Morasky created procedurally generated music, which is generated in real time based on the player's actions. This type of music system was based on the previous success of incidental music used in the Left 4 Dead series, and was developed to create a generalized platform for reuse in future Valve productions. Such music is generated by the player's interaction with various puzzle objects in the test chambers, such as launching from an Aerial Faith Plate. Morasky designed the procedure to build out the music more as the player completed more of each puzzle. Morasky also saw this as a means to provide experimentation to the player, exploring both space and timing of events to alter the composition of the music. Morasky claims that one piece of music "only repeats itself every 76,911 years, 125 days, 7 hours, 56 minutes and 30.3 seconds".{{cite web | url = http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2011/04/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-portal-2/1 | title = Five things you didn't know about 'Portal 2' | first = Marc | last = Saltzmann | date = 2011-04-14 | accessdate = 2011-04-14 | work = USA Today}} Morasky designed this dynamic music as a reward for successfully completing puzzles.

{{Infobox album

| italic_title = no

| name = Portal 2 Soundtrack: Songs to Test By

| type = Soundtrack

| artist = Aperture Science Psychoacoustics Laboratory (Mike Morasky)

| cover = Portal_2_OST.jpeg

| alt =

| released = Volume 1: {{Start date|2011|5|25}}
Volume 2: {{Start date|2011|7|1}}
Volume 3: {{Start date|2011|9|30}}

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Dark ambient, glitch, IDM

| length = Volume 1: 73:39
Volume 2: 62:13
Volume 3: 65:54

| label =

| producer =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

Songs to Test By is the three-volume soundtrack for Portal 2, containing nearly all of the music from the game. The soundtrack was released freely to the Internet volume-by-volume between May and September 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-25-valve-offers-portal-2-soundtrack-for-free|title=Valve offers Portal 2 soundtrack for free|date=2011-05-25|accessdate= 2011-05-25| work=Eurogamer | first= Fred | last= Dutton}}{{cite web | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-30-portal-2-dlc-release-date | title = Portal 2 DLC release date | first= Fred | last = Dutton | date = 2011-09-30 | accessdate = 2011-09-30 | publisher = Eurogamer }} Along with the soundtrack, Valve included several Portal 2-themed ringtones.

All tracks are written by Mike Morasky unless otherwise noted.

{{Track listing

| headline = Portal 2 Soundtrack: Songs to Test By – Volume 1

| title1 = Science Is Fun

| length1 = 2:33

| title2 = Concentration Enhancing Menu Initialiser

| length2 = 2:17

| title3 = 9999999

| length3 = 3:11

| title4 = The Courtesy Call

| length4 = 3:37

| title5 = Technical Difficulties

| length5 = 3:22

| title6 = Overgrowth

| length6 = 2:51

| title7 = Ghost of Rattman

| length7 = 4:06

| title8 = Haunted Panels

| length8 = 1:36

| title9 = The Future Starts with You

| length9 = 3:22

| title10 = There She Is

| length10 = 4:21

| title11 = You Know Her?

| length11 = 3:11

| title12 = The Friendly Faith Plate

| length12 = 2:59

| title13 = 15 Acres of Broken Glass

| length13 = 5:00

| title14 = Love as a Construct

| length14 = 4:57

| title15 = I Saw a Deer Today

| length15 = 3:13

| title16 = Hard Sunshine

| length16 = 2:48

| title17 = I'm Different

| length17 = 4:29

| title18 = Adrenal Vapor

| length18 = 2:36

| title19 = Turret Wife Serenade

| length19 = 1:39

| title20 = I Made It All Up

| length20 = 3:56

| title21 = Comedy = Tragedy + Time

| length21 = 3:30

| title22 = Triple Laser Phase

| length22 = 4:15

| total_length = 73:39

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Portal 2 Soundtrack: Songs to Test By – Volume 2

| title1 = You Will Be Perfect

| length1 = 2:40

| title2 = Halls of Science 4

| length2 = 4:35

| title3 = (defun botsbuildbots () (botsbuildbots))

| length3 = 4:07

| title4 = An Accent Beyond

| length4 = 2:58

| title5 = Robot Ghost Story

| length5 = 3:07

| title6 = Die Cut Laser Dance

| length6 = 2:00

| title7 = Turret Redemption Line

| length7 = 3:23

| title8 = Bring Your Daughter to Work Day

| length8 = 2:40

| title9 = Almost at Fifty Percent

| length9 = 1:59

| title10 = Don't Do It

| length10 = 5:16

| title11 = I AM NOT A MORON!

| length11 = 3:47

| title12 = Vitrification Order

| length12 = 6:34

| title13 = Music of the Spheres

| length13 = 3:39

| title14 = You Are Not Part of the Control Group

| length14 = 3:24

| title15 = Forwarding the Cause of Science

| length15 = 3:41

| title16 = PotatOS Lament

| length16 = 1:59

| title17 = The Reunion

| length17 = 3:46

| title18 = Music of the Spheres 2 (Incendiary Lemons)

| length18 = 2:44

| total_length = 62:13

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Portal 2 Soundtrack: Songs to Test By – Volume 3

| title1 = Reconstructing More Science

| length1 = 2:36

| title2 = Wheatley Science

| length2 = 2:29

| title3 = FrankenTurrets

| length3 = 4:08

| title4 = Machiavellian Bach

| length4 = 4:01

| title5 = Excursion Funnel

| length5 = 4:32

| title6 = TEST

| length6 = 6:14

| title7 = The Part Where He Kills You

| length7 = 3:23

| title8 = Omg, What Has He Done?

| length8 = 2:24

| title9 = Bombs for Throwing at You

| length9 = 5:48

| title10 = Your Precious Moon

| length10 = 1:55

| title11 = Caroline Deleted

| length11 = 1:50

| title12 = Cara Mia Addio

| length12 = 2:33

| title13 = Want You Gone

| writer13 = Jonathan Coulton

| length13 = 2:21

| title14 = Spaaaaace

| length14 = 0:45

| title15 = Space Phase

| length15 = 1:32

| title16 = Some Assembly Required

| length16 = 1:50

| title17 = Robot Waiting Room #1

| length17 = 2:14

| title18 = Robot Waiting Room #2

| length18 = 2:14

| title19 = Robot Waiting Room #3

| length19 = 2:14

| title20 = Robot Waiting Room #4

| length20 = 2:14

| title21 = Robot Waiting Room #5

| length21 = 2:14

| title22 = Robot Waiting Room #6

| length22 = 2:06

| title23 = You Saved Science

| length23 = 0:47

| title24 = Robots FTW

| length24 = 3:38

| title25 = Still Alive (Radio Mix)

| length25 = 0:45

| title26 = Still Alive (Radio Mix Clean)

| length26 = 0:45

| total_length = 67:25

}}

A retail four-disc collection, Portal 2: Songs to Test By (Collector's Edition), was released on October 30, 2012 through Ipecac Recordings. Three of the discs include the music already available (listed above), while the fourth disc includes songs from Portal. A mini-comic, "Turret Lullaby", is also included.{{cite web | url = http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/24/portal-2-songs-to-test-by-collectors-edition-out-on-october-3/ | title = Portal 2: Songs to Test By (Collectors Edition) out on Oct. 30 | first = David | last = Hinkle | date = 2012-09-24 | accessdate = 2012-09-24 | publisher = Joystiq | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121125232341/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/24/portal-2-songs-to-test-by-collectors-edition-out-on-october-3/ | archive-date = 2012-11-25 | url-status = dead }}

{{Track listing

| headline = Portal 2 Soundtrack: Songs to Test By (Collector's Edition) – Bonus Disc

| title1 = Subject Name Here

| writer1 = Kelly Bailey

| length1 = 1:45

| title2 = Taste of Blood

| writer2 = Kelly Bailey

| length2 = 3:06

| title3 = Android Hell

| writer3 = Kelly Bailey

| length3 = 3:46

| title4 = Self Esteem Fund

| writer4 = Kelly Bailey

| length4 = 3:31

| title5 = Procedural Jiggle Bone

| writer5 = Kelly Bailey

| length5 = 4:35

| title6 = No Cake for You

| writer6 = Mike Morasky

| length6 = 4:05

| title7 = 4000 Degrees Kelvin

| writer7 = Kelly Bailey

| length7 = 1:02

| title8 = Stop What You Are Doing

| writer8 = Mike Morasky

| length8 = 4:00

| title9 = Party Escort

| writer9 = Mike Morasky

| length9 = 4:22

| title10 = Your{{sic}} Not a Good Person" / "You're Not a Good Person

| writer10 = Mike Morasky

| length10 = 1:25

| title11 = You Can't Escape You Know

| writer11 = Mike Morasky

| length11 = 6:24

| title12 = Still Alive

| writer12 = Jonathan Coulton

| length12 = 2:56

| title13 = Still Alive

| note13 = J.C. Mix

| writer13 = Jonathan Coulton

| length13 = 2:57

}}

Kym Dillon of IGN used the soundtrack of Portal 2, amongst a few other soundtracks, as an example how a game can use both source music (music that is part of the game environment) and underscoring (music that is only for the player) to create atmosphere in games; Dillon also mentions that he "especially" liked the game's soundtrack.{{cite web | url = http://pc.ign.com/articles/119/1193729p1.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110924004211/http://pc.ign.com/articles/119/1193729p1.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 24, 2011 | title = The Art of Scoring | first = Kym | last = Dillon | date = 2011-09-18 | accessdate = 2011-10-01 | publisher = IGN }} Alyssa Grimley of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer praised Morasky's composing of the soundtrack and called it an "understated genius".{{Cite web | url = http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Various-Artists-Portal-2-2191284.php | title = Music Review: Various Artists - Portal 2 [Soundtrack] | first = Alyssa | last = Grimley | work = Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date = 2011-09-27 | accessdate = 2011-10-01 }} She also praised Jonathan Coulton's song "Want You Gone" for the way in which it reflects the changed spirit of GLaDOS when compared to "Still Alive" from the first game. Kirk Hamilton of Kotaku listed Portal 2 as possessing one of the best musical scores in video games for 2011, praising both the composed songs and the dynamically-generated elements.{{cite web | url = http://kotaku.com/5868590/the-best-game-music-of-2011-portal-2 | title = The Best Game Music of 2011: Portal 2 | first = Kirk | last = Hamilton | date = 2011-12-15 | accessdate =2011-12-16 | publisher = Kotaku }}

For the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards, both "Want You Gone" and "Exile Vilify" were nominated for "Best Song in a Game", while the soundtrack was nominated for "Best Original Score".{{cite web | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/38603/Portal_2_Leads_Spike_TV_VGA_Nominees_With_12_Nods.php | title = Portal 2 Leads Spike TV VGA Nominees With 12 Nods | first = Kyle | last = Orland | date = 2011-11-16 | accessdate = 2011-11-16 | publisher = Gamasutra }} Portal 2{{'}}s soundtrack was awarded for "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition" at the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.{{Cite magazine | url = https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/02/09/skyrim-dominates-the-15th-annual-interactive-achievement-awards.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120211080547/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/02/09/skyrim-dominates-the-15th-annual-interactive-achievement-awards.aspx | url-status = live | archive-date = February 11, 2012 | title = Skyrim Dominates The 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards | first = Matt | last = Bertz | date = 2012-02-09 | access-date = 2012-02-09 | magazine = Game Informer }} The game was awarded the "Best Audio" 2012 Game Developers Choice Awards.{{cite web | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/164945/Skyrim_wins_Game_of_the_Year_at_GDC_Awards.php | title = Skyrim wins Game of the Year at GDC Awards | date = 2012-03-08 | accessdate = 2012-03-08 | publisher = Gamasutra }} The Game Audio Network Guild awarded Portal 2 with the "Best Interactive Score" (along with Kinect Disneyland Adventures), and "Best Original Vocal - Pop" for "Want You Gone".{{Cite web | url =http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/165833/Battlefield_3_Portal_2_more_win_big_at_10th_annual_GANG_Awards.php | title = Battlefield 3, Portal 2, more win big at 10th annual G.A.N.G. Awards | first = Tom | last= Curtis | date = 2012-03-14 | accessdate = 2012-03-14 | publisher = Gamasutra }}

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{official website|http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php}}

{{Portal series}}

{{Authority control}}

Portal 2

Category:Portal (series)

Portal 2

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