Could it be that you were seeing the effects of a change to the operating procedure introduced by Airbus some ~6 years ago where there was a line item before the commencing the descent of announcing Emergency descent to the cabin.
It changed again 2-3 years ago with - as I understand it - the A350 certification and CCQ differences where that same announcement to the cabin is now made on the descent.
For the last decade or more, unaltered A320 Airbus procedures has ATC announcements have always been made in the way downward.