Summing up Sakamoto’s long career seems impossible; he was a force in electronic music, classical, soundtracks, and was constantly experimenting with new sounds. His improvisational style and varied interests made him hard to classify, but even if you don’t know the name, there’s a good chance you’ve heard his work.

In a statement about his death, Sakamoto’s record label included one of his favorite quotes: “ars longa vita brevis.” Translated it means “art is long, life is short.”