Catpack return with 'Meowmixes'

Following their celebrated self-titled debut and its accompanying remixes, LA-based trio, Catpack, comprised of Amber Navran (Moonchild), Jacob Mann, and Phil Beaudreau, return with ‘Meowmixes’, a fresh spin on their own material, with each member offering a personal reinterpretation of a track from the record.

Phil Beaudreau takes on the album's focus track, “Next to Me”, a song that tackles the extremes of an all-consuming devotion to someone. Talking about the remix, Beaudreau adds: “My remix is a little love letter to Catpack. It’s impossible to outdo the original, but I wanted to reimagine the song in a way that captures how summery and joyful it feels to play music with Jacob and Amber. The end of the track flips into a second remix, built around one of Amber’s vocal runs I’ve been obsessed with since the first time I heard it.”

Amber Navran knew immediately that she wanted to remix EP focus track “Midnight”, reimagining Phil’s vocals and introspective lyrics in a new light. The original track, the only one on the album born entirely from an improvised jam session at Phil’s apartment, features Jacob’s stripped-back arrangement, allowing spectral synths and keys to drift beneath Phil’s vivid reflections. Amber explains: “I knew I wanted to start with Midnight because I have so much fun sampling Phil’s dreamy voice. Ever since Jacob created that beautiful, magical, synth world at the end of the track, I’ve wanted to sample it! Then I added pieces from other songs, recorder, vocals, and flutes from Runnin’, and vocals from Rainbows.”

Jacob Mann reimagines “What I’ve Found”, the group’s debut single and a bold statement on no longer shrinking to fit in. Built around a Roland Juno synthesiser and collaborative spontaneity, the original track celebrates each member going full tilt, both lyrically and musically, without hesitation. “What I’ve Found” is a joyful confrontation with the self, centred on unlearning and stepping into space unapologetically. For the remix, Jacob stripped the track back to rebuild it from a fresh harmonic perspective: “I love what Phil and Amber were doing vocally on What I've Found and wanted to reimagine the instrumental behind them,” he explains. “I listened to their voices and decided to accompany them with new harmony, as if we were writing new music in the room together. All the instrument sounds come from my Juno 106 synthesiser.”

The first wave of Catpack remixes saw dynamic reworks from acclaimed producer, singer, and songwriter MIA GLADSTONE; producer, musician, and Jellowstone Records chief DJ Harrison (also a Stones Throw signee); and London-based Irish producer Bruk Rogers (aka Cian McCann of Zero T/Searchlight). DJ Harrison put his signature lo-fi swing on “Yep,” layering dreamy textures and woozy drum patterns beneath Amber Navran’s pitched-down vocals and Phil Beaudreau’s playful falsetto. MIA GLADSTONE brought her genre-blurring energy to “Next To Me,” adding blissed-out adlibs, a sweetly sung verse, and crisp boom bap drums. Bruk Rogers delivered a synth-laden, uptempo rework of “The Top,” transforming its romantic vibe into a bouncy, feel-good groove. These remixes followed the group’s self-titled debut album and coincided with their 13-date US-UK-EU tour, which included standout shows at The Jazz Café, Racket NYC, and LA’s Lodge Room.

Since the release of their whimsical and genre-bending debut project, Catpack has garnered critical acclaim from outlets like Rolling Stone Japan, Soul Bounce and EARMILK, alongside airplay from KEXP, KCRW, and Jazz FM. Their sound fuses jazz-influenced R&B, neo-soul, funk, and electronic textures, an authentic convergence of each member’s musical identity. The name Catpack itself comes from a quirky synth patch that sounded like cats meowing, and an equally fun merch idea that followed (yes, catpacks).

Amber Navran is an LA-based musician who sings, plays flute and produces in Catpack and is 1/3 of the renowned neo-soul trio Moonchild. As a member of Moonchild, Navran has released five albums and received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album in 2023. The group has performed at major festivals worldwide, including Roots Picnic, Love Supreme, Cape Town Jazz Fest, Corona Sunsets Okinawa and Jakarta Jazz, and has sold out over 300 shows in 35 countries. Navran is recognised for her distinctive, multilayered voice and her production and performance acumen, which she brings to Catpack. She has collaborated, produced and toured with esteemed artists such as Kamasi Washington, Stevie Wonder, The Internet, Jill Scott, Lalah Hathaway and Robert Glasper, and built up a host of iconic supporters along the way. As a solo artist and producer, she has two projects out. She frequently collaborates with Rapsody, 9th Wonder, R+R=NOW, Mumu Fresh, Knower, Louis Cole, Jacob Mann Big Band, Chris Dave, Daniel Crawford, Raquel Rodriguez and more. 

Jacob Mann is the keyboardist, clarinet player, and producer in Catpack. He has solo recordings under his own name and big band albums with the Jacob Mann Big Band (which also features Amber as a member). Jacob has released collaborative albums with jazz-funk bands such as Max Ox, Shrek Is Love and a duo album with bassist Sam Wilkes. 

Phil Beaudreau, newly nominated for two Grammys for his work with Lalah Hathaway, brings his talents as a trumpeter, vocalist, and producer to Catpack. Over the past several years, the Los Angeles-based producer, songwriter, and recording artist has collaborated with top names like Dr. Dre, Justin Bieber, The Game, and Travis Barker. After garnering major label attention with his debut album, ‘Ether’, Beaudreau signed to Def Jam Universal as part of his duo group AOE. In 2020, Beaudreau received GRAMMY nominations for his work as executive producer on Black Violin's newest album, ‘Take the Stairs’, and as producer on Justin Bieber's latest studio album, ‘Changes’. In September of 2019, his song “Dreams” (co-written with fellow Peer Publishing artist Andrew Simple) was featured in Dreamworks' animated film, Abominable.
 

Meomixes Tracklist

1.Next To Me (Phil Beaudreau Remix)
2.Midnight (Amber Navran Remix)
3.What I’ve Found (Jacob Mann Remix)