Here's what I'd say: it sounds like underscore to a scene we're not seeing. Maybe it'd make sense with the scene.
The thing about that comment, though, is it seems to suggest that good underscore can just "tread water," with ostinato figures, etc., and not make sense without seeing the visuals, and I don't actually believe that. My favorite film composers' cues are nearly always complete pieces unto themselves. There's almost no "treading water," and when they do, you can't really tell because even the treading is musically developmental. They seem unable to escape an interesting internal arc, which this piece does not truly have. So rather than work on the vibe, which you have a handle on, I'd focus on making the vibe still more interesting as a piece on its own!
_Mike