This Extended Play (EP) release is based on some tunes originally laid down by one Oleg Yakubov, according to the midi file notes which also recommended that you needed a Soundblaster AWE32 sound card on your PC. This recommendation dates the midi files at around the mid-1990's, and they each had 5 or 6 midi channels of instruments.

I haven't found any Oleg Yakubovs on the Internet who fit the profile (ie some Olegs weren't even born then). ..... but I did find some file notes which I have included in the song notes. 

Having discovered these old midi files from a random download, I thought I would add some 2020's instruments to them to breath some new life into them.

They are not classic works, but I hope you enjoy some nice tunes, nonetheless.

In AWE of Oleg

This could well be an original by Oleg, building on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. It becomes epic towards the end!

I found these notes from Oleg:

We played this music in the school ensemble, more precisely, there was only a theme, and everyone had their own improvisation. Well, I wanted to dedicate it to the memory of Beethoven. Of course, when we played this song at school, it sounded very different. Well, now having my own computer with a good sound card and a midi keyboard, I play the way I hear it in my soul.

EP - In AWE of Oleg

Oleg Yakubov - Memory of Beethoven

Versaal seem to have a few references such being translated as "Streak" or being the fancy leading capital letter in old texts. A little bit "Enigma ish". 

I found these notes from Oleg:

We also played this composition in the school ensemble, where it came from, I don’t know for sure. But I have it performed the same way with my arrangement.

Oleg Yakubov - Versaal

I was looking for Elegia by New Order, but found this track instead. 

I found these notes from Oleg:

First I wrote a song and called it "Winter Night". It was a song about a beloved girl who could not come to me one of the winter nights. The song itself sounded a little different. And then from deep feelings, and wrote this composition and called it "Night Elegy".

 A sort of John Barry meets Camel track!!

Oleg Yakubov - Night of Elegia

This definitely seems to be a cover of an Estonian band Mahavok's song.

Not where you might expect to find reggae, but why not. I found these notes from Oleg: 

It was once a song, and the group "Mahavok" performed it. The lyrics of this song are similar to my "Winter Night". Here, too, the girl didn't come, the flowers withered, and the music ended... The song was written in Estonian, but almost none of the indigenous people of Estonia remember it (at least who I asked).

Oleg Yakubov - Mahavok - Tulemata jäänud

Originally posted in the 1990's, I found these notes from Oleg:

"This is my music, there are poems for it, but not mine. The song is also about love. I read one collection of young poets, and wrote this music for one poem. So it probably turns out that only sad music about failed love sounds in my soul."

Oleg Yakubov - Vstreca

Dorian Concept - Hide (30 minute lunch break cover)

Shape Of My Heart

Every Week

15 AI Collective - Every Week

Based on a mother reporting on her 4-year-olds's dream

Cowboy Dreams

02 AI Collective - Cowboy Dreams

A cute country song, based on real life experience.

The Tree

10 AI Collective - The Tree

I Want You Now

10 AI Collective - I Want You Now

A new track and a sure fired hit along the lines of Snow Patrol or Muse.

Hear Me

01 AI Collective - Hear Me

No Time to Cry, Just Dance

One of their more popular songs that went down well at the Lord Mayor of Sydney's relaunch party.

October Blast

04 October Blast

A new take on a classic 1960's pop song but with a whole new vibe for the song.  Same lyrics, but entirely different modern arrangement. Take a listen, you will be amazed!

I Go To Pieces

02 AI Collective - Go To Pieces (Peter & Gordon)

Hi all, so from 2016 to 2024 I assembled and produced a large collection of covers of many of my favorite tunes as my own hobby (and many during COVID lock-downs!) and I have accumulated over 2,900,000 plays across the world which is awesome!

I am much more of a producer that a musician. These first 8 years of my music was mostly based on midi cover tracks often downloaded from the Internet but heavily reproduced and re-imagined variously on my two Yamaha keyboards (Clavinova and PSR 975), but also using PC midi editing & DAW software.

Towards the end of that period, I added some of my more original electronic music which I produced over the past two decades under the name of Funkleberry in order to consolidate my Soundcloud accounts. 

But in 2024 I got into AI music generation and I am now  a freelance songwriter and AI music producer. It's been a fun journey!

My first 4 AI Albums can also be found here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4iZUxtVnHl09U3UJ0nbt2L OR

in Apple music (search Funkinova and/or AI Collective)

If you like anything you hear, please pass them on!

Oleg Yakubov - Vstreca

Funkinova

Related tracks