On the airport bus into Stockholm, the fellow sitting next to me has Abba’s Greatest Hits leaking from his headphone. Sweden, and the other nations of the Baltic, have much to offer the ears, to go with the beautiful people and hang-over free lagers. A curious traveller wanting to hear something different, or wanting to hear ‘Moonlight shadow’ in half of the bars, would be wise to go there.

Sweden’s contribution to music is prolific but varied. Abba were the royal family of the Swede beat, making more money than Volvo in their prime. Sweden is still relevant, with the Hives leading the current pack, but there have been some mixed offerings in the interim - most notably their bland pop (Ace of Base) and faux metal (Clawfinger or Yngwie Malmsteen, perhaps). Metal is a theme across the Baltic, but there is far more besides.

Travelling by overnight ferry to Estonia is not easy on the ears. My journey took in a C & W singer giving it some serious Waylon Jennings in the bar on the lower deck. Upstairs, the horror continues. The cabaret features three girls, three boys, several wigs and a quick blast through every Eurovision song contest winner. If you didn’t know, Estonia won it themselves in 2001, and they’re still quite pleased. But on land, things get more interesting. Rondellus are exponents of traditional Estonian music. They have recently released a CD ‘Sabbatum’, with madrigal vocals, and the sparse instrumentation of the hurdy gurdy and drums – but they are all Black Sabbath covers, in Latin. ‘Verres militare (War Pigs)’ and ‘Rotae confusionis (Wheels of Confusion)’ are among the offerings, which are recognisable as Sabbath, yet completely fresh.

Finland has a strong musical tradition across all styles - and made all the more quirky by the number of artists who sing in the looping mother tongue. CMX, and their latest, ‘Isohaara’, were riding high in the charts at the time of my own visit. Their music is a diverting but unexceptional diet Metallica. Apocalyptica do Metallica, too. Covers again, but this time as a string quartet – and definitely full fat. Listen to ‘Plays Metallica by four chellos’ if this takes your fancy

If this sounds to very metal then Circle offer something more esoteric. Part prog rock, part Judas Priest and with a banshee-like singer using his own language of Meronian. If the recent CD ‘Prospekt’ was a rocking trip through space, then the live ‘Raunio’ takes things even further out. Long washes of white noise and feedback form the backbone of the set.

The craziest, but none the less engrossing, mix comes from the recent Rauli Badding Somerjoki compilation. Somerjoki, it seems, was Helsinki’s leading bohemian. In a career based around the 70’s, his passion for Elvis led to him covering a number of the King's standards with some gusto. Imagine a Finnish Scott Walker blasting out ‘Blue Moon’ (‘Oi Kuu’), and you're somewhere there. The opener ‘Iso Lemmen Pala’ is a stormer.

So, go in the summer (take your Ambre Solaire) or winter (take your huskies) settle down with a packet of salty liquorice and enjoy the sounds of the Baltic. Hopefully though, not too many will sound like future Eurovision material.