If you’ve been tracking the steady rise of Australian R&B/soul outfit daste., the name Callum MacDonald will already be familiar. However, while his main band busy themselves crafting a new project for 2026, MacDonald has been quietly cultivating a distinct sonic identity under the moniker Monsieur Mellow. Following the breezy momentum of his debut ‘Paris Strut’, he returns today with ‘Slow Down’, a collaboration with Sydney-based artist Taj Ralph that prioritises atmosphere over artifice.
The track is a masterclass in rhythmic restraint, trading aggressive hooks for a sun-drenched, organic swing. It’s the kind of production that feels less like it was ‘written’ and more like it was discovered during a particularly productive late-night jam. This instinctive approach is at the heart of the Monsieur Mellow project, serving as a creative release valve for MacDonald’s most groove-orientated ideas.
The track’s evolution is a testament to creative serendipity. Reflecting on the process, Monsieur Mellow explains:
“After I locked in the sound of the project with Paris Strut, everything just started flowing. I went on a bit of a run, making track after track that all lived in the same world and felt completely natural to me. It’s hard to pin down exactly what that sound is, but Slow Down came together only a few days after that first track. I took a similar approach, experimenting with a handful of sampled vocals that all sounded great, but something was missing and I felt it was still lacking in originality. Around that time, I’d been listening to Taj a lot after my bandmate Tyler Harden put me onto his music. One morning, while making coffee and listening to Taj’s track Lay Lo, I realised he’d be the perfect voice for this song. I sent him the instrumental that day, and not long after he got back to me saying he was down to try something. I gave him total freedom creatively, with the only suggestion being that a triplet-style rap moment could feel really vibey. He sent his ideas back pretty quickly, and from there everything fell into place. He absolutely finessed the energy of the track, and I knew straight away we had something special.”
For Taj Ralph, the collaboration provided an opportunity to channel the energy of his time spent abroad. He adds:
"When Callum reached out to me with the beat, I was living in London, writing and immersing myself deeply in such a vibrant music scene. Callum’s funk gave me the perfect excuse to bring that energy out and into the track. I wrote about love and good times with new people."
With its warm textures and effortless flow, ‘Slow Down’ doesn't just invite you to listen—it invites you to linger. You can stream the new single today, and for more, join Monsieur Mellow on Instagram and TikTok.
