Bonnie Milne’s “Uncertain”, the first of her two new singles, lives up to its billing. I can’t help but admire how Milne’s keyboard playing embodies the feeling described by the song title There’s a studied tentativeness heard throughout the nearly three minute sixteen second song, but it never sounds rehearsed. Her playing has unsparing accuracy but, despite its precision, achieves a naturalness and inspired first take-like spontaneity that will bewitch many listeners.
The production sound is perfect for the song. Milne’s keyboards have a strong synthesized sound, without question, but it never sounds like it stands at some sort of icy remove from listeners. The sound, instead, is intimate without ever coming across as coy and inviting without ever surrendering its secrets all at once. This sort of finesse helps make a strictly instrumental performance all the more appealing.
It isn’t difficult to understand the source of her finesse. Milne has devoted much of her childhood and adult life to promoting music, performing, writing, and instructing others in the craft. She isn’t a piano teacher alone, but a respected vocal instructor, as well. She’s had several personal experiences throughout her life proving the redemptive and healing power of music that its effects are woven into her overall philosophy.
“New Beginnings” certainly reflects this. This all-too-brief duet for piano and violin, like its counterpart, has near-ostentatious beauty without ever seeming too precious. She dramatizes optimism, a far from concrete emotion, with outstanding clarity. She communicates it in the sparkling runs scattered throughout the arrangement and those particular moments take on added meaning when paired with the violin.
The discipline present in both tracks contributes to their excellence. Each song ends right before or after the three minute mark yet encompasses such a wide melodic range that it’s impossible to leave her songwriting polish unrecognized. There isn’t any wasted motion in either performance. It’s unsurprising, as well, that “New Beginnings” almost sings. The lack of any vocalist forces Milne to address its lack for modern audiences and she succeeds in making you forget there’s no human voice here at all.
There is a human voice, however. It isn’t the traditional idea of a voice, enunciating syllables, delivering lines. The human voice takes on many forms and these two compositions provide us with examples of humanity’s voice at its most musical. “New Beginnings” isn’t so magical that it will sweep away whatever woes you carry around, but there’s no question it can offer a temporary respite from those concerns.
It’s a beautiful and increasingly rare gift. Long may Bonnie Milne continue to bring a measure of healing to the world through her music. “Uncertain” and “New Beginnings” are compositions we need to hear in such dark and ominous times and their musical power will not soon fade. Talented composers have a way of building things meant to last and there’s no doubt posterity may shine its light on these singles for many years to come. It is music impervious to age and fashion.
Timothy Ball
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