Raised in Korea and now based in Sydney, percussionist Chloe Kim has emerged as a singular voice in contemporary drumming—blending fearless improvisation with compositional clarity and cross-cultural depth. Ratsnake marks her bold entry into the canon of solo drum records, pairing visceral power with precision and imagination.

Kim’s international profile rose in 2023 following her “Herculean” (The Guardian) 100-hour solo drum performance over 10 days. On Ratsnake, she channels that same stamina and vision into a deeply personal studio work that explores the full sonic potential of the drum kit—treating it as a melodic and sculptural instrument.

The album’s title comes from a dream Kim’s mother had before her birth, invoking the ratsnake—a Korean symbol of resilience, transformation, and rare fortune. This symbolic inheritance threads through the record, as Kim unfolds complex rhythmic ideas with elegance and force.

“Being in New York for the first time, I felt the city’s energy pull new ideas out of me,” says Kim. “Each track highlights a facet of my solo language—from extended percussion and long-form rhythmic cycles to textures I’ve never used live.”

Across the record, Kim draws on years of personal motifs: a two-bar phrase refined over time in the title track, intricate structures in “The First Gift,” and expansive setups in “Birth Dream.” Each piece builds on her ongoing inquiry into rhythm, form, and embodied sound.

Produced and recorded by Randall Dunn (SUNN O))), Annea Lockwood, Kali Malone), Ratsnake captures Kim’s dynamic phrasing with spatial richness and detail. It’s a powerful, nuanced debut that redefines the possibilities of solo percussion.

1. Ratsnake
2. Birth Dream
3. Tail Dance
4. Hello, Guston
5. Secret Wish
6. Twilight Zone
7. The First Gift