Hi moving music to my Youtube @SalamangkaDreaming and Mixcloud! https://www.mixcloud.com/shallah-montero/

Salamangka means magic in Filipino. She explores music genres with tribal, african to middle eastern influences and brings a wide range of styles to the dancefloor- from techno, disco to funk and house music.

demos, rip-offs, & covers from either curiosity or boredom

Dirty Kitchen was born when cousins Chris Carandang and Datu Arellano, after years of casually jamming to their favorite songs, first performed their first ever gig at their aunt’s, artist Agnes Arellano’s house in the summer of 1998. It was during this gig that they first debuted some of their original songs inspired by their favorite 90’s bands such as Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Radiohead as well as local legends such as Cocojam, Spy, Pinikpikan, and Jun Lopito, all of whom they were fortunate enough to meet personally through their Tita Agnes. 

As they continued to make music and perform at known venues such as Freedom Bar, Magnet Cafe and Penguin Cafe, the lineup of Dirty Kitchen evolved as Chris and Datu would invite classmates and schoolmates, from Ateneo de Manila and Makiling School for the Arts respectively, to play with them until eventually they were able to record their first self-produced and self-titled album in 2005 with Nick Formoso on drums, Joel Alagao on lead guitars and BJ Villanueva on the bass. The lineup would eventually change further to include Derek Ileto on bass when BJ left for America.

After some low key success despite not having a label, the band eventually announced that they would be doing their final gig in 2015 at their most regular haunt Magnet Cafe in Katipunan.

Fast forward to 2020, they were able to collaborate again as Dirty Kitchen on some new songs that Chris wrote in response to the frustration and helplessness brought about by the pandemic. Similar to their older songs, the new songs, Patahimikin and Isang Taon, do not shy away from commenting on socially relevant issues such as the extra-judicial killings, the violation of human rights, and the fight for freedom of speech in the Philippines, as well as more personal issues that touch on mental health.

Bassist. Composer. Arranger. Songwriter. Foodie.

Followers of Dirty Kitchen