Meet Diss-Pair, the odd-couple duo delivering discordant ditties that have turned the music scene upside down. The group is made up of Ikkan, former bassist of the world-renowned Squid Squad, and Warabi, the up-and-coming prodigy beatsmith. These two are a mismatch made in heaven. When crafting new songs in the studio, they avoid each other at all costs to ensure each track maintains its one-of-a-kind edge and tantalizing tension.
Diss-Pair is a musician duo comprising the former Squid Squad bassist Quinn and the Octoling DJ Mashup. Their music was added to Splatoon 2 in version 4.1.0.
Their songs mix elements of metal and EDM and feature low, husky vocals reminiscent of those heard in Ink or Sink and Metalopod.
Prior to their names being localized, Quinn and Mashup were referred to in official Squid Research Lab posts by their Japanese names, Ikkan and Warabi.
Quinn is an Inkling and the band's bassist, formerly a member of the Squid Squad. He did not like how little tension there was during the songwriting process in Squid Squad, which is most likely why the band broke up. He is a fan of metal, utilizing deep riffs and husky vocals he occasionally used in the Squid Squad, and pairs himself with the younger Mashup, trusting that he will keep up the tension in their music.[1]
Mashup
Mashup is an Octoling who is described as an up-and-coming prodigy beatsmith. He is a successful musician who regularly travels around the world, traveling to over 20 countries in a single year. His parents are famous actors, and as a result, he was exposed to many different types of music from around the world at a young age. He grew up with classical music education for gifted children, but got into electronic music in his teenage years, becoming famous by handling remixes of other popular artists. According to Quinn, while his demands seem all over the place, he is actually quite clever and intelligent. He met Quinn on a tour overseas, leading to the two joining together, although, from an outside perspective, it looked like they were fighting.[1] According to the Japanese Family vs. Friends dialogue, he is friends with Marina.
Quotes
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This group formed when the prodigy beatsmith Mashup was touring overseas and hit it off with Quinn, the bassist of Squid Squad. Together, they make LOUD music with a heavy punk pedigree—all held together by an electronic beat that digitally slaps.
When two artists are this talented, they don't need to see each other or even get along to produce incredible music! Sometimes it's hard to tell if these two are arguing or collaborating, but the end result is a bit like spilling some salt on a cookie—a delicious accident!
Diss-Pair is visible in the background of the 2019 Valentine's Day artwork.
Diss-Pair logo from the Splatoon Base website.
Trivia
Both of Diss-Pair's tracks have titles referring to types of illnesses, specifically seasickness and motion sickness (seasickness itself being a sub-category of motion sickness).
Quinn's shirt design may be a reference to the notoriously bad food pairing of grilled eel and umeboshi in Japan, tying in with Diss-Pair's Japanese name.
On the Splatoon Base website, Diss-Pair's name is incorrectly capitalized as "Diss-pair" on the music page,[3] but is correctly capitalized on the band's own page.
Etymology
Diss-Pair is most likely a combination of "dissonant" or "diss" (to put down or disrespect) and "pair", referencing the two members who sometimes do not get along, as well as a pun on "despair" or "disparity".
Names in other languages
Diss-Pair
Language
Name
Meaning
Japanese
合食禁(がっしょくきん) Gasshokukin
Clashing tastes. Gasshokukin is a concept which can be applied to any two types of food that should not be eaten together, whether due to mismatching taste or texture, due to health reasons, or due to beliefs (such as the prohibition on mixing meat and dairy in Judaism). The three kanji that compose this word are "meeting", "food", and "disallowed", respectively.
Chinese
禁同食 jìn tóng shí
Clashing tastes
Quinn
Language
Name
Meaning
Japanese
IKKAN
From the word "一貫" (ikkan), a unit used for sushi.
Mashup
Language
Name
Meaning
Japanese
WARABI
From "ワラビ" (warabi), known in English as "bracken", which is a plant used to make various Japanese dishes. Bracken with octopus is considered a bad pairing of foods, making it "合食禁" (gasshokukin)