Album: Paul McCartney, Ocean's Kingdom (Decca)

Paul McCartney's first work for dance may be the most satisfying of his classical pieces – but then, he's been composing for the dance all his life, in a way.

Commissioned by the New York City Ballet for its 2011/2012 season, Ocean's Kingdom is a sort of sub-aquatic Romeo & Juliet, with the forbidden love this time between an underwater princess and a male representative of nasty, polluting humanity. The simple plot structure made for some sniffy reviews of the ballet, but as programme music this has its moments, notably the "Hall of Dance" section in which McCartney gets to indulge his inner Gershwin. It's hardly groundbreaking stuff, but McCartney undeniably has an ear for melody.

DOWNLOAD THIS: Ocean's Kingdom; Hall of Dance