DUEL NATIVE’s new EP, “Always Imperfect,” is a celebration of raw, unfiltered music—an intimate window into the energy of live performance. Recorded in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia, this four-track collection captures the spontaneity, emotion, and messy beauty that comes from human intuition. Far from the polished perfection of machine-made music, each track pulses with life, mistakes included, embodying the EP’s mantra: AI = Always Imperfect. As DUEL NATIVE himself explains, it’s about reclaiming that sense of “alive-ness” we’ve all been subconsciously missing.
Stephen Choi, the multi-instrumentalist behind DUEL NATIVE, brings the same dramatic intensity he honed while scoring the acclaimed theatre production MEMBER to this release. The EP traverses chamber-psych, folk-rock, and choral dream-pop, giving listeners a sonic experience that is unpredictable, collaborative, and deeply human. Standout tracks like “Biophilicall (Live)” showcase one-room, one-take magic—ambient textures, layered harmonies, and gang vocals from a last-minute choir of friends converge to create a moment that is intimate, cathartic, and breathtaking.
Following the online release, DUEL NATIVE will bring this EP to life on stage in Adelaide and Sydney, proving that his music thrives in real-world connection. Building on his earlier success with London’s Greyhound Green and years of cross-cultural artistry, Stephen Choi continues to carve a distinctive niche in the indie landscape, merging folk, psych, and dream-pop into a human-centered musical journey.
‘Always Imperfect’ is a raw, joyous celebration of music’s human pulse.
