Urban Cookie Collective (GB)

About

Also known as: Urban Cooke Collective, Urban Cookie Collection, Urban Cookie Collection - The Key, The Secret

Urban Cookie Collective built their reputation on one of the most infectious dance records of the early 1990s. The Key the Secret, released in 1993, became a massive hit across Europe, hitting number one in the Netherlands and cracking the UK top 10. The project was the brainchild of keyboardist Rohan Heath, who had already made noise in the UK under the name Together with Hardcore Uproar back in 1990. The group's lineup brought together vocalist Diane Charlemagne, MC Marty and DJ Pete, and the combination clicked in a way nobody quite planned: The Key the Secret was originally not intended as a major release until a remix started turning heads in UK clubs. Followup singles Feels Like Heaven and Sail Away kept them in the charts for a while longer, and their sound sat right at the crossroads of rave, house and soulful vocals. Charlemagne's voice was a big part of that appeal, and she was in demand well beyond the group, lending her vocals to Goldie's landmark drum and bass album Timeless, including Inner City Life. A second Urban Cookie Collective album, Tales from the Magic Fountain, arrived in 1995 but failed to match earlier success, and a cover of Champagne Supernova caused legal trouble when Oasis had not given permission, forcing the single off shelves.