Music
The music of Mass Effect 2 was primarily composed by Jack Wall. His previous work with BioWare was as the main composer for Jade Empire and the original Mass Effect. The score also features some pieces by Sam Hulick, David Kates, and Jimmy Hinson, with additional editing and in-game implementation by Brian DiDomenico. Unlike the original Mass Effect, the composers aimed for a darker and more mature sound to match the mood of the game. The music incorporates both orchestral and classic sci-fi arrangements which were inspired by the soundtrack of the cult classic film Blade Runner and music by German electronic group Tangerine Dream. The harmonic structure of Wendy Carlos's Tron soundtrack also represented significant influences. To complement each character, the composers gave them their own theme song to convey their personalities and backgrounds. According to Kates, "it was one of our mandates to create a dynamic score that expressed a wide range of emotions."
Music from the game has been released in several albums. BioWare released the main soundtrack album, Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score, on January 19, 2010. The soundtrack spans two discs and 27 tracks, covering a duration of 1:55:43. Major downloadable content packs for the game, which include Kasumi - Stolen Memory, Overlord, Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival, feature new music. The soundtrack from Kasumi - Stolen Memory and Arrival was composed by Sonic Mayhem duo Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco, while the music from Overlord and Lair of the Shadow Broker was composed by Christopher Lennertz. Mass Effect 2's score was nominated for Best Original Music at the 2011 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards and Best Soundtrack Album at the 9th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.
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