III

Recording for the album began in January 2014, with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, and Mark Owen entering the studio as a trio, with the consent of Jason Orange, who was undecided at the time whether or not he wished to continue with the band. Barlow claims that the album was recorded with "a big space" for Orange, as they had hoped he would change his mind and return to the band. At the time, Robbie Williams had stated that he may not be able to record as part of the group due to his tour commitments and the upcoming birth of his second child. In the end, Williams was not present during the recording sessions.
In September 2014, Orange officially announced his departure from the band, and the band re-entered the studio to record the remaining parts that had been left for Orange. Donald claimed that the band did consider splitting up following Orange's departure, but decided against this and instead pressed on with recording the album. Owen said of the album, "It was quite downbeat, and we needed to change it to bring more energy to it. Then around May the three of us locked ourselves down for two or three weeks and started to play with sounds and for me, that’s when we started for real. The energy was more positive. Now it's one of our most upbeat records." Barlow also said of the album, "We’re not writing a retirement record."
"These Days", the album's lead single, was co-written by Jamie Norton and Ben Mark, and produced by Greg Kurstin (Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen). The song is described as a signature Kurstin song, featuring "Chic-style funk guitar riffs and Pet Shop Boys style vocal effects." as well as "having pure pop written all over it". "Let in the Sun" is described as the likely second single from the album and a mix between Calvin Harris and Mumford & Sons. The song was produced by Stuart Price. Barlow described the song as a "homage to the early years", whilst Owen said it's "the song your dad would write if he was trying to get down with the kids."
"If You Want It" is described as a "90s sounding pop banger with big production and an uplifting chorus", again produced by Kurstin. A line in the song, "Everything could be a little bit brighter", is suggested to be a nod to the band's recent struggles. Barlow said that a video for the song could be reminiscent of the early years of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. "Get Ready for It" was written for the soundtrack of the forthcoming Brit flick Kingsman: The Secret Service, starring Colin Firth and Michael Caine. The song was produced by John Shanks and is described as "loud" "euphoric" and "unmistakably Take That", with a heavy drum introduction, and a battle cry from Barlow. Early reviews suggest the song could match the success of the band's 2007 single, "Rule the World". The album also features production from Jeff Lynne.