Once known as Chofica, now simply Chof, Filip Brčić is a black silhouette from Zagreb’s Šalata. Although he’s been DJing for over six years, it’s only in the past two that we’ve been able to catch him more often.
A graduate in physics and computer science, he grew up on rock, punk, and metal. Since his student days, he has nurtured a love for electronic music, introduced to him by the then-emerging local talent – Ufos Sakiris, Dome da Hood, and Rudi.
Drawn by Roko (for Blast Fest)
Since 2018, Chof has been a member of the Paqistan Krew collective, whose vision of “music without rules” was born in the former Brazil club by the Sava river.
Alongside him, the collective includes Ple7e and ASU. Together, they’ve organized dance events at Pločnik, the basement of the student dorm on Lašćina, and at secret locations hidden among the forested slopes of Sljeme.
The promising Zagreb-based DJ is also behind the club program Alles Gut, which he runs with his close friend and former roommate, Šibenik DJ Marcelo.
Photo: Ana Bradvica
Without strict genre limits, Chof enjoys anything that sounds good. As he says, lately he prefers to play with electro, techno, trance, UK styles, and everything in between. Whatever he mixes, it’s never boring and always guarantees a “cinematic” ride with an uplifting vibe.
You can hear this in the mix he recorded for us. While listening, check out the short interview to find out which instruments this young talent plays, what he does in his free time, and what his parents think of the music he spins.
Introduce us to the mix you recorded.
At a recent party at Attack, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the crowd was dancing, and inspired by a particular moment that evening, I created the selection for this mix. Since the idea of the set was to capture a single club moment framed by some of my other ideas, it includes a bit of everything – from danceable rhythms to the kind of “letting loose” that I usually expect and enjoy in a club. On top of that, I love psychedelia and electro, which always shows up in my sets to some degree. I did the same with this mix, but in a different way, incorporating some new tracks.
Photo: Joza Subsite
How did you get into DJing?
I think it starts like anything else in life. You see someone who’s really good at what they do, and you want to do the same. Luckily, everything else around me fell into place, giving me the chance to learn something and get my first piece of equipment. During my first and second years of university, a good friend, Patrik, and I went to parties constantly until we “burned out” and finally got our own gear. That’s when we started playing at home. Later, I connected with the crew from Šibenik, who were also just starting to mix at the time, and together we formed what is now Paqistan Krew.
It’s wonderful to have someone by your side when you’re exploring and learning new things. DJing is, after all, also a social activity. Of all the people who helped me, Vlado (Ufos Sakiris) helped the most – shoutout to him! He often invited me to gatherings and parties to play in front of people. He always told me to play whenever I had the chance until it started feeling natural.
Do you play any instruments?
I don’t play anymore, but my brothers and I took classical guitar lessons at music school. It’s not hugely useful in the context of DJing itself, but having some music theory knowledge doesn’t hurt if you’re engaging with music more broadly.
Do you think about producing music?
Often, but more as a fantasy. I doubt it will become one of my near-term priorities right now, but that could always change.
What do your parents think about the music you play?
I think it might seem strange or incomprehensible to them how we can enjoy certain things, but they don’t comment too much. They’re more puzzled by the name of our collective than the music itself. They don’t really understand what message we’re trying to send with it. Despite the selection and the unexplained idea behind the name, they support me in what I do, and that’s what matters most.
Which labels have you been following lately?
I don’t follow labels in general, because I’m constantly digging through various sources. But I can highlight a few that have caught my ear recently – Nerve Collect, Nehza Records, JERRY HORNY, Seven Hills Records, and Emotional Voyage Records.
Photo: @35mmarcetta
Does Paqistan Krew have any major plans for this year?
Since our collective is spread across the continent, we haven’t had any organized gigs for quite some time. Last year, we were active individually whenever we had the chance, but we never really came together. There’s interest from some members of the collective, so maybe something will happen this year. The good news is that Plete is returning to Zagreb full of new ideas. Who knows what this year might bring… definitely Plete, hehe.
You also run the club night Alles Gut with Marcelo. How did you two team up, and why aren’t you on the program as often lately?
Maki was my roommate a year ago, and besides being a unique person, he also has an amazing selection. He was usually glued to the equipment at home, so I had to take him to a gig either before or after, hahaha. With him, I had the opportunity to play parts of the selection I normally wouldn’t get to spin or might not even dare to play on my own. I think that’s why we work really well together behind the decks.
Lately, though, work keeps us apart. Similar to Paqistan Krew, we often operate “in the field,” so we don’t get the chance to organize something together. The year is only halfway through, so who knows. Maybe something will happen!
What do you do in your free time? Which activity recharges you the most?
Going to Sljeme and walking around the neighborhood recharges me the most. I love physical activity and training, so people can often spot me behind the decks wearing a Grindhouse club T-shirt. I also adore board games and staring at screens – whether it’s anime, movies, series, reality shows, or video games. Honestly, it probably doesn’t matter as long as I’m sprawled on the couch. I’m a big fan of manga and the art style that comes with it, which shows in my choice of cover art for mixes on SoundCloud.
If you could play something for us right now, what would you put on?
It would actually be two things that aren’t really things. 😀 What a crazy sentence…
Photo: Ana Bradvica / Facebook, Instagram, private album