The song is made up of a variety of key elements, most notably, the sequenced "brass bottle" synths at the intro and in the break.

The melody line is guided by the moog bassline, programmed drumming and layered with high hat synths and a continuous beat.

[4] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that Heather Small "continues to shine as a unique and compelling frontwoman, while tunesmiths/musicians Mike Pickering and Paul Heard provide a track that combines disco, house, and Philly soul flavors."

"[8] Alan Jones from Music Week praised it as a "pop/dance gem from Manchester's finest, with some particularly attractive wailing from Heather Small.

[12] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update complimented it as "gloriously catchy cantering" with a "Sixties soul chorus".

[13] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits felt it "proved M People are the finest exponents of the party garage sound.

"[14] Jonathan Bernstein from Spin complimented Small's "smoky alto" and an "all-time great one-two sucker punch" of the "aptly titled" "One Night in Heaven".

[15] "One Night in Heaven" was serviced to radio four weeks before physical release on 19 May as the follow-up to previous airplay top 10 smash "How Can I Love You More (Mixes)".

By the end of week one on airplay, the single had become the highest new entry being played 315 times on UK Radio placing it straight in at Number 58.

It then took another eleven weeks to leave the Airplay Top 75 which meant it was still being heavily played when its successor "Moving on Up" was released to radio.