One my favourite Japanese reissues of the last 12 months was Virgo’s Landform Code. Originally released on CD only, in 1998, WRWTFWW did the decent thing and pressed the album onto 4 sides of 45rpm vinyl. It’s sleek, flawless techno from start to finish. I used my review of the record as an excuse to reach out to Virgo, aka Yasutaka Sato, who, after a break of 2 decades, has begun to make music again. In the course of our conversation I asked Sato-san if he’d be interested in submitting a “lucky 7” selection from 2025. He explained that he hasn’t listened to much new music, but instead agreed to share the influences that helped to create Landform Code and its 2004 follow-up, Ooparts. 

Seminal techno / electronica selections care of Virgo aka Yasutaka Sato. 

LANDFORM CODE INFLUENCES

Warp Records Artificial Intelligence series

Black Dog Productions / Bytes

B12 / Electro-Soma

Richard H. Kirk / Virtual State

Compilations

Intergalactic Beats (Planet E)

Objets D’art (New Electronica)

Agenda 21 (Eevo Lute)

Others

John Beltran / Earth & Nightfall (R&S)

Dan Curtin / The Silicon Dawn (Peacefrog)

Nev / My Plasma Block (GPR)

Velocette / Sonorities By Starlight (Reflective)

William Orbit / Strange Cargo III (I.R.S)

OOPARTS INFLUENCES 

Plod / Pillow Talk

Tim Koch / Shorts In Alaska

Lackluster / Wrapping