Between When Planets Explode and
Joined Ends, Oliver Johnson's first and second
Dorian Concept albums, the Viennese musician and producer released a few singles and EPs. Among them were the brilliantly nutty "Trilingual Dance Sexperience" and relatively restrained four-track EP
Her Tears Taste Like Pears, his first work for Ninja Tune. Johnson also performed around the world, including a stretch as a keyboardist for
Flying Lotus' live show. He retreated from the stage, swapped out the microKORG with which he'd been closely associated, and eventually developed new material with use of other analog synthesizers and an electric Wurlitzer piano. Less jumbled and jagged than his debut,
Joined Ends is filled with spiraling melodies and softer beats that place him a lot closer to Lone than to
Hudson Mohawke. The tracks play out like they were diligently sequenced with steadiness a top priority. The most zestful tracks, such as "Draft Culture" and "The Few," are far from frantic, while the handful of beatless moments, exemplified by the ambient-choral "Nest Nest" and closing "Tried (Now Tired)," are fully formed and equally evocative. What comes across most is its warmth. Like Lone's
Reality Testing and
Taylor McFerrin's Early Riser, released earlier the same year,
Joined Ends is a delightful album in which to blissfully bathe. ~ Andy Kellman