Monsieur Mellow – ‘Paris Strut’ (Single + Video Out Now)

by the partae January 29, 2026

written by the partae January 29, 2026

Australian songwriter and producer Callum MacDonald, best known as a core member of R&B/soul project daste., steps into a new creative chapter this week with the launch of his solo project Monsieur Mellow. While daste. continue work on new material slated for 2026, MacDonald has taken the opportunity to explore a sound that’s been quietly forming for years.

The first taste of Monsieur Mellow arrives via ‘Paris Strut’; a groove-led, jazz-house debut that introduces the sonic world of MacDonald’s forthcoming ep, which is already completed and waiting in the wings. Drawing from funk, disco, reggae, and Caribbean influences, the track is rich in warmth and movement, built to feel lived-in, loose, and instinctive.

Written in the in the wake of touring UK/EU with daste., ‘Paris Strut’ emerged from a period of renewed inspiration on the road. “After returning home from touring Europe with my band daste., the time on the road left me deeply inspired by Caribbean, reggae, disco, and funk. For the first time I felt a clear sense of direction for music that existed outside of the band.” MacDonald explains.

At the heart of the track is a raw, emotive acappella sample from Parbleu’s ‘Pas de Saints Au Paradis’, which MacDonald chops and weaves through understated drums, soft pads, guitar, and bass, allowing each element to bounce off the next and create the feeling of a real band playing together in a room. “This project is about following instinct, world influences, and creating groove-setting music that feels raw and rough around the edges,” he says.

The title ‘Paris Strut’ captures the track’s essence perfectly: a confident, effortless swagger inspired by wandering the streets of Paris, spring in step. It’s that same feeling that sparked the sonic identity of Monsieur Mellow, an outlet for movement, mood, and musical freedom.

With ‘Paris Strut’, Callum MacDonald sets the tone for a solo project driven by feel over perfection, groove over gloss, and instinct over expectation, marking an exciting new direction for one of Australia’s most versatile songwriters/producers.

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