Figi – Blod Sved og Handling

The best musical discoveries are often the ones you don’t see coming. Midway through a binge of Netflix’s Danish crime thriller ‘Legenden’ (international: “The Asset”), a track pierced through the tension. Not intrusive, but with a flow that lingered. ‘Tør Dem Af’ by Figi. A name that meant little to me, despite a fairly well-stocked mental database of the Danish hip-hop scene. A quick search revealed: on October 31, 2025 – strategically planned or perfectly timed with the series’ release on October 27 – she dropped “Blod Sved og Handling” via the obscure label Trackbunker. Nine tracks, 22 minutes, and virtually no press. Exactly the kind of underground release music journalists live for.

Whether “Blod Sved og Handling” (Blood, Sweat and Action) is a full album or a strategic EP depends on how rigidly you hold to classifications. In 2025, when attention spans shrink and playlists rule, 22 minutes actually feels just right. But the timing raises questions: is this Figi cleverly riding the Netflix publicity, or was the series sync simply a happy coincidence? Fie Schütt Hallberg, the woman behind the pseudonym, was signed in 2023 by Warner Music Denmark after years of underground respect through bars videos and cypher performances. That an artist with major label backing chooses to release through Trackbunker, a label so obscure that Google gives up, says something. Maybe about creative control. Maybe about realistic expectations. Maybe both.

What immediately stands out about “Blod Sved og Handling” is the clear reference to the early nineties. Not the raw boom-bap that every nostalgic rapper nowadays claims, but the melodic, soulful side of that era. You hear TLC vibes flashing through, that combination of R&B smoothness and hip-hop edge that made the nineties so accessible. It’s a smart move because Figi’s greatest weapon is her flow. It is so natural, so in the pocket, that you can follow her without speaking a word of Danish. Universal groove transcends language barriers, and that is rare.

The album opens with “ALFA”, bringing Pede B on board, in Denmark akin to a Rakim co-sign. The three-time MC’s Fight Night winner lends instant credibility. But it is on the rest of the album that Figi must stand on her own, and there the story becomes more nuanced. ‘Tør Dem Af’, the Netflix track, works because it does exactly what it should: sets a mood without dominating. But when Figi on “Flab”, at 3:38 the longest track, tries to sound streetwise and OG, she falls short. There is a difference between writing bars about the streets and actually selling the streets. Figi’s strength is not in believable hardness; it feels like she is playing a role that doesn’t suit her.

Fortunately, the album has a highlight: “Rutine”. This is Figi at her best. Bouncy beats, minimal production that leaves room for that unmistakable flow. Modern cadences without betraying the nineties roots. It is the kind of track that frustrates you because you hear the potential. In the right hands, with a bigger production budget, with more A&R guidance, “Rutine” could have broken through. Now it feels like a demo of what could be.

The Danish hip-hop scene has always had an interesting balance between technical skill and commercial accessibility. While Gilli fills stadiums and Tessa proves female rappers can go mainstream, artists like Figi operate in that middle ground. She has the skills, and her reputation as ‘barsskriver med stort B’ (as Process Podcast called her) is well-earned. She writes her lyrics by hand, a nearly romantic old-fashioned approach in the age of iPhone Notes and voice memos. The Pede B feature on “ALFA” places her in a specific tradition: the technically skilled, lyric-focused rapper who earns respect but may never reach streaming numbers. It’s not shameful; it’s a niche. But with tracks like “Rutine” she shows she has more to offer than just underground respect.

“Blod Sved og Handling” is ultimately a frustrating listening experience, but not in a bad way. It is frustrating because you hear where Figi excels, that flow, that nineties soul vibe, that natural pocket, but also where she still falls short. The attempts at hardness on “Flab” are unconvincing. Production is sometimes too minimal, where ‘less is more’ turns into ‘less is just less’. But then there is “Rutine”. And ‘Tør Dem Af’ is reaching Netflix viewers. And that Pede B co-sign. These are building blocks. The album title, Blood, Sweat and Action, feels programmatic. This is an artist doing the work, learning, growing. Is that enough in a market demanding instant results? That’s another question. Who is this album for? People following the Danish scene? TLC nostalgics looking for modern examples? Anyone who appreciates tracks like “Rutine”? The average streamer? Probably not. And maybe that’s okay. (7/10) (Trackbunker)