DESTIINO: “I think it’s outdated now to mix on a desk; DAWs work well if you know how to use them”Debuting as the electronic dance producer, Yuskek, multi-talented musician Pierre-Alexandre Busson knows how to captivate audiences with different projects. Now under a different pseudonym, DESTIINO, Busson is turning to heavier synth and drum machine-focused mixes, offering a darker string to his bow with club-inspired tracks released under Parisian label Lumière Noire, founded by Chloe Thevenin.
With the next DESTIINO record, ii, out in March, the French producer and instrumentalist takes MusicTech through his treasured setup. He reveals the prized synths that he claims he could never get rid of, to the workflow that has allowed him to develop his own record label, Partyfine. He breaks down how he composes for film, which has taken him to the Cannes Film Festival, and how he’s learned to collaborate after almost 25 years in the industry.

READ MORE: CHLOÉ: “Every piece of gear, every collaboration, and every mistake is an opportunity”

Your new album, ii is out this year — how has your approach to big projects shifted since the release of your 2021 DESTIINO album?
It’s not changed at all! The only difference is that I have time now to focus on the projects that excite me without much “industry” pressure. I make film music, I’m into photography, and I also produce for other people and run my labels, so if things come together that allow me to make an album, it’s because I really want it.
Imagery by DESTIINO (Yuksek)
As well as DESTIINO  you’ve also been releasing music as Yuksek since 2005. Why the new alias? Does there need to be such a separation when experimenting with different styles?
Yes and no. DESTIINO is definitely different from Yuksek, and under this name, I mainly created dance tracks with a more pop approach — especially in the structure of the music. Things I’d release under that name focus on vocals, collaborations with friends, and I’d also use non-electronic instruments.
On the other hand, DESTIINO is 100 per cent focused on synths and drum machines, and is most of the time destructured. I also enjoy using a build-up of crazy patterns that come together in a random way.
Image: Press
In your 24-year career, you’ve also produced and collaborated with some pop stars and heroes in music. How easy is it to adapt to different workflows and demands?
Adapting to different workflows is like my engine; it’s my passion. I’ve been making music since I was six, and professionally for the last 20-plus years. So the key now is excitement, and getting to wake up every morning with motivation for a new project that challenges me, gives me that excitement to make music.
Also, meeting new collaborators is crucial to maintain energy. That’s why all the parts of my career are equally important.
Tell us a bit about your studio.
I built this new studio two years ago with Red House, a super-talented French company. It’s based in Reims, France, and is full of analogue keyboards, drum machines, a few effects, and a lot of speakers. I usually work alone here but sometimes friends pass by to say hello and come in for a session.
I love inspiring places, and this studio is in the basement of a beautiful 19th-century house, with a big garden where I’m allowed to walk with my dog. That’s important — eight-hour sessions can be long for those lovely little animals!
Have you found any useful plugins lately?
To be honest, I don’t use many plugins. I’ve been using Logic Pro since I started using DAWs, and, in my opinion, the Logic plugins, especially for dynamics and EQs, are super-efficient and easy to use.
The effects, however, are not so good so I use the Soundtoys Suite for delays and some more weird effects. I also really like using the PSP Vintage Warmer for compression, and I love some of the MeldaProduction plugins.
Image: Press
What’s the best free plugin you own?
It has to be the Melda suite. The flanger is excellent and the voice treatment really adds to my mixes.
Your sound is full of textural combinations and sonic experimentations. Is there a piece of equipment that helps you achieve this and helps spark the more avant-garde side of your creativity?
I have been collecting and using synthesizers for 25 years now, and each of them has a special trick that I love. Recently, a friend of mine built me a clone of the EMS synthesizer, and it’s really inspiring — but every new piece of equipment is inspiring! Whether it’s a cheap or expensive little thing, you always discover something new.
Are there any pieces of gear or techniques that you’re yet to try?
I’m not into full modular synthesizers — I think it would kill my time. It may be inspiring, but I see it as almost an AI-generated random process, as the machine makes accidents that create something, but it’s not for me. My limit is the ARP2600.
What’s been the biggest investment in your career/studio?
Finding a good place to build the studio, and doing it in the best way possible that suits my needs, alongside my favourite instruments.
The place is the key to any good studio to ensure you’re feeling comfortable. I don’t like to work at home but some artists like it. There is no rule as to where it should feel like the right place.
Image: Press
Do you have a dream piece of gear?
It’s not exactly a dream because I already own them, but the Roland TR-808 and ARP2600 are the two pieces I will never let go of, even If I need to sell everything. They are the two pieces of gear that cannot be replaced by any virtual synth or clone.
What’s a music production myth you think needs debunking?
I think many people will hate me for saying this, but I’ve been mixing my work in Logic for a while now, and I use mixing desks as preamps for instruments, not as mixers. I think it’s outdated now to mix on a desk, it’s not flexible. I like to listen and change my mixes in the studio, at home, on the MacBook speakers, in my car, and so I need the full picture. Plus, the quality of the DAW works well if you know how to use it.
What’s the biggest piece of advice you’d give as a musician?
I used to have negative feelings towards people who were successful, especially if I considered them an imposter; it made me feel very jealous and angry. However, after a few years, I realised that the key is just to do your own thing, and focus on what gives you joy and peace.
I’ve made sure that I always work with kind, talented human beings. I’ve made a sweet label and have a lovely agent and managing environment. I always try to keep the same excitement that I felt when I first touched a synth and a guitar. It’s these things that keep the joy.
DESTIINO ii will be out in 2025 on Lumière Noire.
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