Jon Sortland
Jon Sortland is a multi-instrumentalist, filmmaker, and creative director best known as the drummer for The Shins, Broken Bells, EV Kain, and the punk band Cigar. A versatile musician, Sortland also plays guitar, bass, keyboards, and contributes vocals across his various projects.
Sortland has written and directed multiple music videos for such labels as Columbia, Mama Bird, Sub-pop, and Fat wreck Chords. Blending his musical instincts with a sharp visual sensibility. His passion for filmmaking began in the late 1980s, shooting DIY videos with friends and fellow skateboarders. That early spark evolved into a professional directing career in 2012 with EV Kain’s debut single, “Yes No Maybe.”
Today, Sortland’s creative work spans music, film, design, and production. He is a writer, director, music producer, composer, editor, set builder, and puppet designer—an all-in-one creative force whose artistic identity bridges both sound and cinema. Whether behind the drum kit or behind the camera, Sortland brings a dynamic, imaginative, and unmistakably personal style to everything he creates.
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