When two artists from different corners of the electronic spectrum meet for a casual drink and end up writing a track in one sitting, something’s clearly working. That’s how Tok Tok began for COHN and Shay Shaz, a meeting of minds and moods, rooted in mutual admiration and fast-tracked by instinct.
Their collaborative EP is a celebration of self-expression, queer identity, and the sheer joy of making music that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Drawing on vintage house, Italo flair, and a shared fondness for pop nostalgia, Tok Tok finds freedom in its playfulness: heels clicking, basslines bouncing, and two artists letting loose.
We caught up with the pair to talk collaboration, creative chemistry, and why now felt like the right time to make something together.
You’ve both had your own journeys as solo artists — what made now the right time to come together and create something collaboratively?
Shay Shaz: We actually were introduced by a mutual friend. We had both been working on different projects and in relatively different scenes. We met up for a drink because we knew we liked each other’s music and immediately realized there would be a spark between us. We went into the studio soon after and I think we wrote first track Tok Tok in a couple of hours.
COHN: Shay is an incredibly charismatic vocalist. He was a dream to work with. I literally just set up the mic and he did the whole thing in like two takes. It was a ton of fun.
The title Tok Tok has a playful ring to it — what’s the story behind the name, and does it reflect something about your working dynamic?
Shay: The first version of “Tok Tok” was created back in 2017, during a time when I felt the queer scene was losing its freedom trying to fit into one version of masculinity, instead of celebrating individuality. Over time, I saw things change. A new generation embraced softness, boldness, color, and queerness in all forms.
To me, being yourself in the club today means showing up without a mask, letting who you are be enough, and letting the music reflect that back to you. The “Tok Tok” name refers to the sounds of heels tapping against the ground and uses them as a metaphor for wearing whatever you want and being whoever you want to be.
From the outside, it feels like there’s a real sense of joy and freedom running through the EP. Was that intentional from the start, or did it emerge naturally through the process?
COHN: Absolutely! We got on so well from the beginning (and have become amazing friends since) and had so much fun making it that we couldn’t help but let that good energy come through in the music. We didn’t want the EP to be too serious or to have too much emotional weight to it; it is supposed to be light and encourage people to celebrate themselves and each other in joy!
When people hear your music for the first time, what do you hope they take away from it — emotionally, or even just on a gut level?
Shay: Both of us have this love for nostalgia. When we DJ together, we actually have to pre-plan a bit to make sure that we don’t end up with a b2b set that is 90% throwback bangers haha. We have such a respect for House and Italo music and a love for the groove, but both of us can’t help but get excited when we hear an edit that brings us back to Madonna or Kylie.
You both reference different eras — 80s, 90s — in your influences. What is it about those decades that speaks to you creatively?
Shay: Yeah exactly. We’re actually the exact same age (which we’ll keep to ourselves), but those decades really speak to both of us as a time when music had such a sense of excitement and openness. I think it’s also not a coincidence that those two eras saw such a huge change in the way that Gay culture entered the mainstream. Whether it be through Freddie Mercury, Patrick Cowley, or Larry Levan, there was such an incredible fusion of identity and new music; it’s hard not to romanticise the aesthetics of that era.
Collaboration can sometimes be tricky — how did you navigate creative disagreements, and what did you learn from each other along the way?
Shay: We have such a sense of mutual respect, both personally and creatively, it has been very seamless right now. I think we also complement each other so well and no one steps on anyone’s toes. Shay is definitely the more charismatic and ADHD of the group. COHN is sitting on the buttons and thinking more about the technical aspects, but we both think and work so quickly that when the sparks start flying, everything just fits into place.
What’s next — do you see this as the start of an ongoing collaboration, or was Tok Tok a one-off statement for now?
COHN: We have DJed a few times since, and we see each other all the time, so we’re both hoping this will be the start of a long-term musical love affair that will take us on many different journeys and paths and that we can share our excitement and energy with the world, at every opportunity.
Tok Tok is out now on Butter & Wine
