The Vitals:

Label: AVA Recordings
Genre: Progressive Trance
Number of Tracks: 2
How to Obtain: www.avarecordings.com, www.beatport.com, www.djdownload.com

Factor Scores:

Production Quality: 6.5
Programming and Arrangement: 6.5
Entertainment Quality: 6.0
Total: 6.3 – Above Average

Digital Aura's Take:

This is the second "digital" release to come from Andy Moor's AVA Recordings label. Here we have a tasty double header from two newcomers, Matthias Baumann and Roland Geringer, who produce under the moniker Cressida. These diamonds in the rough were spotted first by Somatic Sense Future Sounds, a Dutch label, who picked up a 2-track EP including the two tracks "Certainty" and "Carillon". Fans of progressive trance all over (at least in the forums I checked) are hailing the duo as legends already, even though their first two tracks were signed only last year. This new digital EP has two more brilliant offerings: "Soda" and "Flowjob".

"Soda" features some wildly addictive arps (especially in the break) and a dirty sawtooth bassline (the same synth patch made famous by the likes of Benny Benassi, Global Deejays, Pussycat Dolls, etc). Some vocal snatches are thrown in for good measure.

The other track, "Flowjob", is something altogether different in its sound. The duo makes fantastic use of vocal snippets in this track too, but there are no copycat synth patches in this one. It stands on the merit of their own creativity, implementing a driving melodic groove built on a catchy hook, a bumpin' four-to-the-floor kick, a harmonic layer of arps, and an "almost-retro" lead synth coming in after the break.

The mix on both tracks was good enough that I didn't even think to comment on it. I guess if you forget to notice anything wrong in a mix, then it must be a great mixdown. Both tracks do a decent job of representing the progressive trance genre and clearly keep Cressida pointed in the right direction on their road to stardom.