I think the connective tissue in such a list-article (I hesitate to use “listicle” because it sounds so trivial) is in the introduction and conclusion. The intro is the classic “tell them what you’re going to tell them,” the list itself is the “tell them,” and the conclusion is the “tell them what you told them.” And items within the list can refer to other items, still letting the reader start anywhere while potentially guiding the reader to earlier points and tying the overall piece together.