Interview: Deki Alem On ‘Fun’, Swedish Roots & Creative Process

Swedish-Ghanian twin duo Deki Alem are a breath of fresh air in the music space right now. Redefining the boundaries of alternative music with their electrifying fusion of genres, brothers Sammy and Johnny Bennett seamlessly blend elements of drum and bass, rap, grunge, dance and post-punk to achieve a whole new sound like no other. Music characterised by raw energy, sensitive masculinity and an unapologetic honesty that resonates deeply with listeners across the globe.

Today, they return with a brand new release, ‘House Fire’, alongside the announcement of their long-awaited debut album ‘Forget In Mass’ which is due for release on 8th August. Promising eight bold, unfiltered tracks, the new project is a culmination of a journey that began on the streets of Gothenburg and ignited in Stockholm’s underground scene, where the band’s guerrilla street campaigns and high-octane shows have become the stuff of modern myth. They really are the real deal. At Mixtape Madness, we caught up with them ahead of the new single to talk a little about their journey to date, the inspiration behind their name and their creative process.

First of all, for those out there who may be unfamiliar, can you tell us who you are and where you are from?

Sammy Bennett: Deki Alem, a band of four from Gothenburg, Sweden. That being me and my twin Johnny and our longtime friends and bandmates Richard Zastenker and Johannes Klahr. 

And how did Deki Alem come to be? Can you tell us about the early days of your collaboration and how you guys first started making music together?

Johnny Bennett: Me and Sammy started fooling around with music back in 2016. We started off within Swedish hip hop and later moved onto “Deki Alem” when the pandemic hit. We linked with Richard and Johannes in the midst of our Swedish run and have been close and worked together ever since.

Growing up and based in Sweden, how did your environment shape your music and identity as artists?

Sammy Bennett: Sweden is a pretty humble country at its core, but there’s also a strong focus on quality and high standards that shows in the stuff we make. As a consumer, you get used to buying things you can trust, stuff that lasts. I think that way of thinking has shaped us as creators too. We want to be around for a while and put out stuff that stands the test of time.

The name – “Deki Alem” – what does it mean to you and how did you come up with it?

Johnny Bennett: Sammy just sent me a text one day with the name in the midst of Covid and was like, “what you think of that?”. In Eritrea, which is a part of our origin, it means Alem’s Children, which is the name of our mother and something we’ve been referred to within the Eritrean community. It felt like a pure way to honor her, and with Alem also meaning “world,” it makes it more than just a restricted term for us.

Your music blends elements of drum and bass, punk, hip-hop and electronic… how do you approach blending such diverse genres into a cohesive sound?

Sammy Bennett: We don’t really think about genres while creating. We just follow what feels urgent and true. If something gets us excited, we keep building on it until it feels like us.

Your latest single ‘Fun’ is exceptional – there’s no other way to put it. The innovation in the soundscape and the fusion of different genre elements is super easy on the ear… Can you tell me a little more about the creative process for this track?

Johnny Bennett: Appreciate it. That one started on a different track that helped me jot down some of the lyrics and theme. When the four of us later got together, I brought it up to the guys and we found our angle with it. I’m not big on listening to our own tracks when they’re out, but I’ll come back to this one when I’ve gotten a little breather.

Walk us through a Deki Alem studio day. Is it structured chaos or pure experimentation?

Sammy Bennett: Banter, useless debates, coffee and music at the same time. It’s been some years now.

Do you each have clearly defined roles in the creative process—or is everything shared equally?

Johnny Bennett: We for sure got our pockets but we play around a lot and push each other for the benefit of the track.

The visuals for ‘Fun’ came out just over a week ago, and I notice all your videos surface with an innate level of individuality and creativity. How involved in the direction and planning of the visuals are you?

Johnny Bennett: Super involved, but we like to bump heads with people who can challenge our ideas and add to them, rather than just “passing the assignment.” Broken Int, who we’ve worked with from the jump, knows that. We threw this concept his way and he did what he does.

What does the rest of 2025 have in store for you?

Sammy Bennett: We’ve got our debut album dropping in August, more shows coming up this summer, and our headline tour this fall, that one’s gonna be special.