Performer ‘The Head of Music’ will see his one minute film Proper Sketchy shown online as part of the Filmed by Bike festival in Oregon

Ham & High: South Hampstead musician The Head of Music filmed his one minute piece Proper Sketchy on his bike on the Ainsworth EstateSouth Hampstead musician The Head of Music filmed his one minute piece Proper Sketchy on his bike on the Ainsworth Estate (Image: Archant)

A South Hampstead musician will see his short work screened at a US festival of films shot on bicycles.

Known by the performance name ‘The Head of Music,’ his one minute film Proper Sketchy combines a love of music and passion for cycling.

Shot during lockdown on the Alexandra and Ainsworth Way estates, it features his original track which will be released on Spotify in September.

But before that, it will be showcased at the 18th Filmed By Bike festival in Portland Oregon which is streamed online this year due to Covid-19.

Tho.m, who cites musical influences from Drum n Bass to Jazz, says Proper Sketchy is “an expression of the atmosphere and mood during the early stages of lockdown in the UK and takes its musical direction from the electronic music scene.”

“I like to create music and film vignettes, from five seconds to one minute that are created in the moment,” he says.

“Proper Sketchy is exploring the area where I live and capturing how I felt at that time. Lockdown was beginning and most people were staying indoors. Even going out for a ride felt subversive. There’s a real free spirited nature to cycling. By filming and soundtracking my rides I try to capture what it feels like to cycle around London”.

The writer, session musician and education mentor, who has recorded on work by Christopher Tin and Queen Latifah, plans to make a longer film for when the full length track is released on music streaming services, but adds: “For now I’m really enjoying the super short format of vignettes and just going with the flow.

“It’s great that anyone around the world can view the festival this year, in some ways streaming has made live events more equitable”.

The Filmed By Bike Festival runs online from September 10-13 September.

For tickets and info filmedbybike.org

Proper Sketchy is released on September 10 by One Three Nine Records.

Watch the short film on youtu.be/WROOkqXy7-E

www.instagram.com/theheadofmusic