Nacho Maldonado (Guest rec from Uriel Waizel)
Today we have a guest recommendation from Uriel Waizel, a Mexico City-based music journalist and consulting astrologer with three decades of experience in radio and music curation, including 7.5 years at Spotify.
For today’s listening, I’m recommending the work of Nacho Maldonado, a Mexican/Argentinian multi-instrumentalist and tenor-soprano saxophonist who is also a practicing naturopath, herbalist, temazcal guide, and healer. This dual profession is the key to his sound: his music is a deep listening expression of his connection to nature and ceremonial practice.
We’re highlighting two distinct, yet related, works.
The first, Pasajes Sonoros, Instant Composition / Saxophone Solo (April 2024), is a personal, reflective solo album. It’s built from “instant compositions” – melodic, hummable phrases. His technique involves recording an initial improvisation and then adding a second, improvised sax layer while listening to the first take. His playing style draws from the atmospheric landscapes of Jan Garbarek, but it’s the soundscapes that make this work truly immersive. Nacho lives and records near the mystical Tepozteco mountain in Morelos, a place known for its pre-Hispanic pyramid and potent energies. He weaves in field recordings from his walks, so you’re not just hearing a sax; you’re hearing the entire, charged ecosystem of the mountain itself.
His new EP, Terra (November 2025), a collaboration with producer Buhotronix, channels this same earthy energy into a spiritual melting pot. Here, the contrast of organic and digital is the key: Nacho’s “analog” sax breath, referencing the astral voyages of Pharoah Sanders and the Ethiopian grooves of Mulatu Astatke, is set against the slow psy-trance pulses of Buhotronix. The result is a hypnotic, mystical soundscape that brings to mind the lush “música medicina” of Chancha Vía Circuito. It’s an ancient and modern ayahuasca sonic elixir: I hope it inspires you with both a grounding, and flowing vibe.
Pasajes Sonoros, Instant Composition / Saxophone Solo - Nacho Maldonado (42m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
Terra EP - Nacho Maldonado & Buhotronix (17m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal
We wish you a great start to your week.
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Thank you!
It feels incredible to be back to writing about music. A huge thank you to the team at @Flow State for inviting me to curate today's edition, amplifying an artist from my hometown, Mexico City.
Here’s to many more collaborations like this!