Samuel L Session’s “The Man with the Case” plays like a mesmerizing trip through a gleaming vision of a future Detroit. Session constructs this dream with lush, Detroitian pads and euphoric synth stabs. He builds these elements upon an alternating foundation of tempered, rhythmic finesse and intense, tribal drums. The first track, “Time” quietly expresses optimism and wonder as it hovers, arriving at the metro vision it creates. “Chimes”, “Tronic”, “Luscious” and “Past and Present” moves mechanistically like fast-paced commuters on groove-locked trains of rhythm, transferring and stopping repetitively like satisfying on and off beats.

The album soon belies its initial sheen, revealing darker undercurrents. Moving to “My People”, the main melody shines optimistically, nearly distracting the listener from the interplay of more ominous bits of synth hiding in the melody’s alleys. “The Soloist” and “Big Bad Drum” takes the track to even darker streets with rolling sinister basslines.

Eventually, “The Man with the Case” takes that wrong turn and has to run for its life. “Clear as Day” is relentlessly devoid of light, marked by darkly filtered, tribal-patterned bass sequences. “Sections” runs headlong, occasionally using the filters for cover to dampen the stabs of synth that fire past.

The album ends back at the pretty, sun-kissed city vistas it started in with “Tight Stack” and “Pulse”. It’s as if our “Man” made it out and is savoring the fruits of his dangerous dealings.

Session’s “Man with the Case” is currently available at Beatport and iTunes.