Raphael Groten – Inner Sanctum (self-released, 2025)
Vermont musician and composer Raphael Groten has released Inner Sanctum, a bewitching 22-track album built around electric guitar solo recordings. The project was recorded over three days during a Vermont winter and centers on ambient, cinematic, slow-moving electronic music pieces intended for calm listening.
Groten’s set includes four arranged covers: two versions of “Amazing Grace,” Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird,” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Several compositions also appear in alternate form on other Groten releases, including earlier versions recorded on acoustic guitar.
After completing the recording process, Groten mixed the recordings and sequenced the album to create a continuous listening arc. The sessions feature Groten on a 1970s-era Gibson Marauder guitar, with select tracks using additional reverb for a more spacious effect.
The album artwork shows a bear illustration designed by Gabriel Tempesta. Groten has conncted the image to the record’s winter setting and to the idea of an “inner sanctum,” described as a personal space for rest, dreams, and peace.